City May Curb Tobacco Use at Sports Facilities, Proposed Rule Would be Applied at City Properties

Source from:  By MIKE VOSS, Contributing Editor 09/17/2007

The use of tobacco products at organized recreational youth athletic activities at city-owned properties or city-leased properties may be restricted, if not prohibited, in the near future. Washington's City Council, at its meeting Monday, will consider an ordinance that would implement such a ban. "The Washingtona Recreation Advisory Committee has recommended that our youth athletic activities be free of tobacco products," wrote Philip Mobley, the city's parks and recreation director, in a memorandum to the mayor and council. "They have stated, 'Our youth athletic activities are for the youth of our community and we believe that the use of any tobacco products by anyone at our organized youth athletic activities would be against the betterment of our youth.'" The memorandum states that city staff members concur with the committee's recommendation. City Manager James C. Smith said the council, if it decides to pursue such an ordinance, likely would set the date for a public hearing on the proposed regulation. That date could be set at Monday's meeting, he said. The proposed ordinance may not be needed because an existing section of the city's codes may provide the city the authority needed to restrict tobacco-use at city facilities where youth athletic events take place, Smith said. City Attorney Franz Holscher was researching that matter Friday, Smith said. The ordinance would not prohibit the use of tobacco products at city parks such as Havens Gardens or city athletic facilities as long as youth athletic events are not taking place, Smith said. Across the nation, policies restricting or banning the use of tobacco products at or near public parks, schools and athletic events involving youth are increasing, Smith said. Throughout the nation, some counties and youth-sports leagues have adopted policies prohibiting or restricting tobacco use at youth athletic events and facilities. In Carroll County, Md., the use of tobacco products immediately before, during or immediately after recreation-council sponsored youth activities is prohibited within 50 yards of the playing field or program site. The California Youth Soccer Association discourages tobacco use within 25 yards of any association-affiliated activity involving youth players. Several years ago, according to Mobley's memorandum, the Parks and Recreation Department, following a recommendation by the committee, assisted youth sports leagues in amending their bylaws to include a general rule prohibiting tobacco use by any coach and/or bench personnel on the field of play or in the dugout/bench areas. "This rule was set in place for individual adults working with children and seems to have worked well in the past several years," the memorandum reads. "Over the past year or so, our maintenance section has been noticing more and more tobacco products around our youth athletic areas. This is causing more time for cleanup and more missed trash being picked up by mowers." The memorandum notes that all public schools in North Carolina will be tobacco-free next year and that some schools already have tobacco-free athletic facilities. "The (sight) of tobacco products in use and trash accumulation around the youth in our programs is a condition that should be addressed," Mobley wrote in his memorandum. The council meets at 4:30 p.m. Monday in the Council Chambers of the Municipal Building, 102 E. Second St. Enditem