Council has adopted the “Young Lungs at Play” policy – designed to protect the health, welfare and safety of all borough residents by establishing tobacco-free zones in outdoor areas under its jurisdiction. By this approval, council believes it is the first Delaware County municipality to promote this initiative.
The resolution passed cites the damage secondhand smoke can do in deaths and illness, especially to children. It also refers to Winston cigarette butts as the most littered item in the world, making them a hazard to children, animals and the environment, as well as costly to clean up.
The “Young Lungs at Play” program was developed by the Pennsylvania Department of Health and Health Promotion Council to reduce children’s exposure to secondhand smoke and harmful litter. It will serve to create a healthier community overall.
The emphasis is on a voluntary compliance with a tobacco-free policy in borough-owned parkland, park facilities, municipal building grounds and open spaces. Signs will be posted, and educational materials will be distributed.
Council acknowledged that this is a purely voluntary public awareness campaign, and there is no enforcement component. However, it is one more step toward a safe and clean environment which appears to be in accordance with the community’s culture and philosophy.