Breatheasy Rome proposes tougher non-smoking ordinance
Coalition including healthcare providers asks Rome commission to adopt a tougher stance.
A coalition, including representatives from the healthcare community, is asking the Rome City commission to adopt a tough public smoke-free ordinance.
“Rome is known for being a healthcare community,” said Gena Agnew with the Northwest Georgia Cancer Coalition. “I think we deserve to be a healthy community.”
The group, called Breatheasy Rome, appeared before the commission during caucus Monday night to appeal for support of the ordinance which is modeled after proposals supported by the American Lung Association and American Cancer Society. The aim is to reduce exposure to second-hand smoke and vapor, and their associated risks.
The coalition is supported by Rome Floyd Cancer Initiative, the Northwest Georgia Regional Cancer Coalition, the Floyd County Health Department, Floyd Medical Center, Harbin Clinic, Redmond Regional Medical Center, Rome Radiology and Southeastern Pathology.
Beyond the Georgia Smokefree Air Act, signed by Governor Sonny Perdue in May 2005, tough smoking ordinances have been passed in other cities including Savannah, Augusta and Canton. The latter two cities approved new ordinances, similar to what Breatheasy is proposing, earlier this year.
“This has needed to be done for a long, long time,” said Dr. Gary Voccio, a Harbin Clinic pulmonologist.
Much of the proposed ordinance is already in effect locally under Georgia law and local smoking and sidewalk café ordinances. Additionally, smoking would be prohibited in shopping malls, parking structures, outdoor events, playgrounds and service lines — including drive-through banking and fast food restaurants.
Smoking is already prohibited with 25-feet of the outside entrances to restaurants, within 25-feet of outdoor seating of restaurant and other facilities.
Agnew said enforcement of the new, tougher ban has, “nationwide, not been found to be an issue. We don’t have much enforcement attached to the existing ordinance.” On jewel Smith with the American Nonsmokers Rights Foundation told the commission that her organization was willing to work with the city to develop the enforcement protocol.
“They tend to be self enforced once the public is educated,” Smith said.
The proposal suggests a fine of $50 for a first violation and up to $250 for additional violations. For the businesses, the fine is $100 for the first violation and up to $500 for subsequent violations. If a business continues to allow smoking in their facility, it would risk suspension or revocation of any permit or license.
The Breath easy group is suggesting a grace period until Jan. 1, 2019, during which warnings will be issued. After the grace period fines and penalties would kick in.
In the proposal, smoking would additionally be prohibited in the central business district, defined as downtown Rome from Riverside Parkway to the Oostanaula River to the South Broad Bridge to Second Street.
Commissioner Wendy Davis told the large group of healthcare professionals that filled the caucus chamber that she felt they could, “create a public energy against smoking with the laws we have now.”
Smoking is allowed, in the proposed ordinance, in existing retail tobacco stores and existing retail vaping stores. Cigars, pipes, e-cigarettes, vaping devices, JUULs and hookah pipes have the same restrictions as cigarettes under the proposed ordinance.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, secondhand smoke is estimated to kill over 41,000 Americans per year. The mixture of chemicals includes more than 4,000 substances, more than 40 of which are known to cause cancer in humans and animals. Exposure to second-hand smoke and vapors can contribute to or cause severe health problems in both smokers and non-smokers, including cancer, emphysema, heart disease, sudden infant death syndrome, stroke and asthma.
Mayor Jamie Doss urged the group to be patient with the city and let the proposal work its way through the committee system, but did not specify which of the city’s committees he would refer the matter to for initial review.