The City Council finds that:
A. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has determined that tobacco smoke is the major contributor of particulate indoor air pollution; and
B. Reliable studies have shown that breathing sidestream or secondhand smoke is a significant health hazard, in particular for elder people, individuals with cardiovascular disease, and individuals with impaired respiratory function; including asthmatics and those with obstructive airway disease; and
C. Health hazards induced by breathing sidestream or secondhand smoke include heart disease, lung cancer, respiratory infection, decreased exercise tolerance, decreased respiratory function, bronchoconstriction, and bronchospasm; and
D. Nonsmokers with allergies, respiratory diseases and those who suffer other ill effects of breathing sidestream or secondhand smoke may experience a loss of job productivity or may be forced to take periodic sick leave because of adverse reactions to same; and
E. The smoking of tobacco is a danger to health; and
F. The health care costs and lost productivity incurred by smoking related disease and death represent a heavy and avoidable financial drain on our community by increasing public health and medical costs;
G. Exposure to secondhand smoke anywhere has negative health impacts, exposure to secondhand smoke does occur at significant levels outdoors, and to be completely free from exposure to secondhand smoke a person may need to move up to 20 feet away from the source of the smoke; and
H. 1. The free distribution of cigarettes and other tobacco products encourages people to begin smoking and using tobacco products and tempts those who had quit smoking to begin smoking again, and
2. Free distribution of cigarettes and other tobacco products promotes unsightly litter, thereby increasing the costs to the public in cleaning the streets; and also causes pedestrian traffic congestion. (Ord. 2019-06 (part), 2019; Ord. 2010-01 § 1(part), 2010; Ord. 562 § 2 (part), 1994).