By: Penny McCaslin, Tobacco Program Coordinator
Thank You Mason City Park Board!
The Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health would like to show our support for the City of Mason City’s resolution to prohibit tobacco use in child play areas throughout the City parks. This is a huge step in further protecting our children from the dangers of tobacco and nicotine.
Cigarette filters are the most littered item in the world. Thousands of calls are made each year to American Poison Control Centers regarding children poisoned by ingesting cigarette butts. The prevalence of liquid nicotine use in electronic cigarettes and vapor products poses further concern. The small vials of various fun flavored potions could put children more at risk for lethal poisoning. An amount less than a teaspoon can make a child extremely ill. Poison centers are reporting a recent increase in calls about exposures to e-cigarette devices and liquid nicotine. The more we can do to prevent tobacco and nicotine use in areas our children are active, the better!
Many would argue that “it’s outdoors so what’s it hurt?” Well, the U.S. Surgeon General has concluded there is no safe level of secondhand smoke exposure and NO SAFE CIGARETTE. Outdoors is no exception to this rule. Secondhand smoke levels in outdoor public places can reach levels as high as those found in indoor facilities where smoking is permitted.
Parks are built to promote healthy activity for the whole family and Mason City has a great parks and recreation system! We congratulate the Parks Board for passing this measure and showing their support for keeping our children’s play areas tobacco free. We encourage the community to go out and enjoy the parks with children in mind.
https://youtu.be/JnB5-Y2QZ0c
