The city of Glen Dale, W. Va. has officially made its parks tobacco free, as signs were formally installed throughout the city last week.
According to the Wheeling News-Register, the proclamation put forth by the Glen Dale City Council states in part that “city officials believe tobacco use in the proximity of children and adults engaging in or watching outdoor recreational activities at city-owned/operated facilities is detrimental to their health and can be offensive to those using such facilities.”
In addition, this proclamation provides the city “a unique opportunity create and sustain an environment that supports a non-tobacco norm through a tobacco-free policy, rule enforcement and adult-peer role modeling on city-owned outdoor recreational facilities.” There is also language that decries the litter caused by cigarette butts as diminishing the beauty of park facilities and posing an ingestion risk for small children.
Glen Dale is home to approximately 1,500 residents and is located in the northern part of the state along the Ohio border.