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The benefits of anti-smoking ordinances were given to Henryetta city council members Tuesday night.
Jennifer Avery, the tobacco prevention coordinator at the Okmulgee County Health Department spent about 15 minutes outlining the benefits.
Last fall, council members elected not to put an ordinance in place banning smoking and tobacco products from all city-owned property including parks.
Avery gave council members a list of towns and cities in Oklahoma that has ordinances and policies prohibiting tobacco use.
"Some of those are where more people are starting to move," she said. That list included Bixby, Durant, Moore, Edmond, Mustang and Shawnee. "All have a policy, some are smoke free and others are all tobacco. The newer ordinances are dealing with electronic cigarettes."
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Mayor Bill Goodner said he could not see how the use of electronic cigarettes are connected with tobacco.
"You get nicotine from a plant," she replied. "There are a lot of concerns about role modeling with children. They can't discern the difference between combustible and non-combustible cigarettes."
By adopting the ordnance, she said there are some perks for the town including less cleaning up of cigarette bets and making it a safer park. "Cleaner parks contribute to the overall value of the city. They have greater appeal and are a draw for growing families."
Her department can help the city financially with metal signs that can be posted around the parks and city property. "They are expensive, $18.50 per sign."
As an illustration of the problem, she passed around two large covered jars containing cigarette butts and filters. "These are the kinds of things parents look at when children pick things up off the ground and put it in their mouths."
Admitting, "not too many people have a difficulty with secondhand smoke," Goodner said he couldn't see a case for dipping snuff. "A lot of people quit smoking by going to snuff. I understand the push for a cigarette-free environment but I don't see electronic cigarette or dipping."
"Have you ever picked up a spit cup or cleaned out a urinal where people have spit," asked councilman Henry Koelzer.
Avery said the town would be eligible for some grant money if a decision was made to completely ban all forms of tobacco use.
Saying it is not unheard of, she pointed out state properties including colleges and state parks are already following that ban.
By being certified as a health town, those grant monies could be used for hiking or walking trails, playgrounds and a splash pad.