Village of Spencer to Adopt Comprehensive Smoke-Free Policy in Tioga County

(SPENCER, NY) - The Spencer Village Board has passed a 100% comprehensive smoke-free municipal grounds policy. The policy was approved at the September 11^th board meeting and will prohibit the use of all tobacco, cannabis and vaping products at all village owned properties, structures, ballfields and play areas.

The Surgeon General of the United States has declared that there is no safe level of secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke contains over 7,000 chemicals, including cancer causing agents. It causes premature death and disease in children and adults who do not smoke and causes immediate damage to the cardiovascular system. Even low levels of secondhand smoke can lead to disease and death.

The Village of Spencer's previous smoke-free policy prohibited combustible cigarettes at all park grounds. Recently, the village worked with the Tobacco-Free Broome and Tioga program to update this policy to be more comprehensive, prohibiting the use of all tobacco, vaping, and cannabis products on all Village property grounds. This is the second municipality to adopt a fully comprehensive smoke-free policy in Tioga County, following in the footsteps of the Village of Newark Valley.

We want to thank the Village of Spencer for implementing a comprehensive smoke-free policy to protect their community members from the dangers of second-hand smoke exposure. Our 2023 local Community Tobacco Survey found that 65% of Tioga County residents support restricting or eliminating smoking in outdoor public places such as parks, outdoor recreation areas and playgrounds, so this is a win for Tioga County residents.

Updated Smoke-Free signage will be provided to the village by Tobacco Free Broome and Tioga. For more information on implementing smoke-free policies or on quitting smoking, contact Community Engagement Coordinator Grace Merrill at [email protected] or 607-778-3928.