Oak Grove Passes Comprehensive Smoke-free Ordinance
Dec. 11, 2019
Oak Grove, La. – (December 11, 2019) – The Town of Oak Grove unanimously voted last night in favor of protecting the health of residents by implementing a smoke-free ordinance. The Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living (TFL) and members of the Coalition for a Tobacco Free Louisiana (CTFLA) applaud the Mayor and Town Council for their vote.
The smoke-free measure, which was voted on and passed Tuesday, December 10, will ensure all residents will be protected from the dangerous health effects of secondhand smoke. This ordinance includes e-cigarettes and vape products, in addition to combustible tobacco products. The ordinance goes into effect on December 11, 2019, making Oak Grove the 28th municipality in the state of Louisiana to become smoke-free. This brings the total population of Louisiana residents protected by smoke-free ordinances to 1,049,454.
“It is no secret that I was opposed to this measure in its original form, as I felt it went too far in its scope,” said Oak Grove Mayor Adam Holland. “However, after years of working on this with Jennifer and her partners, I believe we have developed a solid piece of legislation that promotes a healthy life style and encourages young people not to smoke — all while maintaining individual property and civil liberty rights for both smokers and non-smokers alike.”
“Residents of Oak Grove will now be able to breathe easier with the passing of this smoke-free ordinance,” said Jennifer Haneline, TFL Regional Manager. “We appreciate the continued support from Mayor Holland, the Town Council, and Partners in Prevention, and congratulate them on this great step forward in protecting the health of the community.”
For more information on the growing movement to protect all Louisiana employees from secondhand smoke, visit www.HealthierAirForAll.org.
Individuals interested in quitting tobacco products can visit www.QuitWithUsLa.org or call 1-800-Quit-Now.
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The Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living
The Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living (TFL) engages in local and statewide tobacco control policy efforts that focus on tobacco prevention and initiation among youth, eliminate exposure to secondhand smoke, promote cessation services, and identify and eliminate tobacco-related disparities. TFL is guided by best practices in tobacco control and envisions a healthier Louisiana by reducing the excessive burden of tobacco use on all Louisianans. For more information visit www.tobaccofreeliving.org. To find out more about the dangers of secondhand smoke and show your support for a smoke-free Louisiana, visit www.healthierairforall.org. To learn more about quitting tobacco, visit www.quitwithusla.org.
About the Louisiana Cancer Research Center (LCRC)
Founded by the Louisiana State Legislature in 2002, the LCRC is a public-private partnership designed to promote education about cancer and conduct important research on the diagnosis, detection, treatment, and prevention of cancer in Louisiana. The LCRC partners with the public at large and four major cancer research institutions in Louisiana: LSU Health, Tulane University, Ochsner Health System, and Xavier University. More information about the LCRC is available at www.louisianacancercenter.org.
About the Louisiana Public Health Institute (LPHI)
LPHI, founded in 1997, is a statewide 501(c)(3) nonprofit and public health institute that translates evidence into strategy to optimize health ecosystems. Our work focuses on uncovering complementary connections across sectors to combine the social, economic, and human capital needed to align action for health. We champion health for people, within systems, and throughout communities because we envision a world where everyone has the opportunity to be healthy. For more information, visit www.lphi.org.