Tuscaloosa, Ala. Going Tobacco-Free on City Property Next Year

As of Jan. 1, 2016, it will be illegal to use tobacco of any kind on any property-both inside or outdoor-that is owned by the City of Tuscaloosa.

Mayor Walt Maddox issued an executive order banning tobacco on city property as part of a tobacco-free workplace policy. Under the regulations, tobacco will be prohibited at all city owned, rented or leased parks, as well as municipal vehicles. This includes the use of e-cigarettes and smokeless tobacco.

The only places where tobacco use will continue to be permitted are preexisting smoking areas in city parks and at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater. The new ordinance has a provision that would ban the creation of any new smoking areas.

Tuscaloosa is located in west-central Alabama with a population around 100,000. It is the home to the University of Alabama, whose own smoking ban went into effect this year.

Charlie Minato

I am an editor and co-founder of halfwheel.com/Rueda Media, LLC. I previously co-founded and published TheCigarFeed, one of the two predecessors of halfwheel. I have written about the cigar industry for more than a decade, covering everything from product launches to regulation to M&A. In addition, I handle a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff here at halfwheel. I enjoy playing tennis, watching boxing, falling asleep to the Le Mans 24, wearing sweatshirts year-round and eating gyros. echte liebe.