Madison Park

The Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners has adopted a Board of Health Rule and County ordinance to limit tobacco use on government-owned property.

 

The move is expected to help reduce chronic diseases caused by tobacco use in the community.
 
Commissioners -- acting as the Board of Health -- passed the rule tonight, prohibiting smoking in all County-owned buildings in Mecklenburg County, the City of Charlotte and surrounding towns, as well as any City, County or Town vehicles, grounds, parks, greenways, or parklands.

 

A separate County ordinance also passed that makes Mecklenburg County parks and buildings on park property tobacco-free. Exceptions to the ordinance are 18 regional parks and County-owned/run golf courses. The tobacco-free designation includes e-cigarettes, smokeless tobaccos, water pipes, etc., as well as cigarettes.
 
“This is an excellent step toward getting to the kind of health outcomes we’re after,” said Mecklenburg County Health Director Dr. Marcus Plescia. “We’re enthusiastic about the broad support we were able to get from Commissioners, the surrounding towns, our advocates and the community.”
 
The Rule and County Ordinance will go into effect March 18, 2015. Until then, Plescia says the Health Department will work with Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation, County Human Resources, the City of Charlotte, and the surrounding towns to share specifics on the new policies, identify the number and type of necessary signs, and find resources to help current users quit.
 
To read the entire Board of Health Rule and County Ordinance, click here.