Orange County, Florida:Bans Use of Tobacco Products

[captain53]

Effective January 1, 2010, the use of tobacco products (including: cigars, pipes, cigarettes, chewing tobacco, snuff, snus, and hookahs) on all county owned and leased land was outlawed through an order signed by Orange County's Mayor Richard T. Crotty as he and a coalition of anti-tobacco supporters work to make the entire county tobacco-free.

This OUTDOOR ban comes on the heels of Florida's statewide existing indoor smoking ban which is already in affect.

Several major cities, including Orlando, reside in Orange County and the local economy heavily relies on tourism.

The ordinance now outlaws the use of any tobacco product in areas such as outdoors at the Orange County Convention Center, County parks, fishing docks, boat ramps, outdoor trails, county owned parking lots, streets and sidewalks.

Additionally, in order to maintain employment, County employees are required to sign an affidavit which states that any employee who enjoys more than four cigars per year they will be fined $650 each year they violate the tobacco policy.

On March 19, 2010, Mayor Crotty's anti-tobacco campaign received a boost when he allocated $6.6 million in federal stimulus funds (supposed to be used to create jobs) to the Orange County Health Department to prevent tobacco usage.

[Blueface]

Additionally, in order to maintain employment, County employees are required to sign an affidavit which states that any employee who enjoys more than four cigars per year they will be fined $650 each year they violate the tobacco policy.


Wow!
So now there will be a bunch of liars in that county. How on Earth will they police that?
What the heck is next?
Amazing.

[weak_link]

We don't even have that in California...yet. Stop giving our idiot politicians ideas, FL!!

[Blueface]

We don't even have that in California...yet. Stop giving our idiot politicians ideas, FL!!

Can we ship all of our "Q-Tips" over to you guys?:r
That should fix it for us.

[HK3-]

I say :fu2 'em.

[ucubed]

like anyone is really going to do anything about it...looks like Corona and other businesses that allow smoking inside or outside will be getting more business

[wayner123]

Additionally, in order to maintain employment, County employees are required to sign an affidavit which states that any employee who enjoys more than four cigars per year they will be fined $650 each year they violate the tobacco policy.


I am nto sure how they are going to enforce this, or exactly what that is? Are they saying that if you smoke mroe than 4 a year you have to pay a $650 fine? Or that if you smoke more than 4 a year on government land? Cause I know the roadside crews are going to be livid over this.

Here is a link to the statute: http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103438249417&s=3678&e=001ieJZhq6z7lPkg2FT4XRc7lbzr0dc-kTTuDT4_WMeecHjbSQN7xwygA0yBLmQ_-7LitbE8upq38XDrDmR6MvlhFxTgeeAqw7-BwLcjBgZnunzmCBB9cSxd6Vw25l6-U7h1B8xn0zsy_JFjbffrSwPVpj1jJMomEibL5Rpp1dcF1s=

[TripleF]

Next time I'm at the Orange County Convention Center (we go every year on Jan. 3, 4, 5 for a convention) I'll step outside as I usally do for a cigar.

Yes sir I will. Screw them.


I do have a question however, how come this is dated 1/1/10 and posted today 5 months later? Not trying to be a wise ass....just wanting to know.

[MarkinAZ]

On March 19, 2010, Mayor Crotty's anti-tobacco campaign received a boost when he allocated $6.6 million in federal stimulus funds (supposed to be used to create jobs) to the Orange County Health Department to prevent tobacco usage.

I would think that Mayor Crotty has "misappropriated" funds at this point and some local or state group would have a strong basis for filing a lawsuit and to also include impeachment regarding this politician...

We don't even have that in California...yet. Stop giving our idiot politicians ideas, FL!!

The wonderful city of Thousand Jokes (;s Thousand Oaks, CA) has a city wide band on smoking. Good luck in enforcing that one folks (unless I've not heard of a recent repealing of that so stupid city law)...

[Don Fernando]

guess I will gonna have to smoke a lot on county owned parking lots when I am in Orlando, just to prove that Europeans don't listen very well ;)

[MarkinAZ]

guess I will gonna have to smoke a lot on county owned parking lots when I am in Orlando, just to prove that Europeans don't listen very well ;)

Yeah, why start now Ferdinand;)

[captain53]

Next time I'm at the Orange County Convention Center (we go every year on Jan. 3, 4, 5 for a convention) I'll step outside as I usally do for a cigar.

Yes sir I will. Screw them.


I do have a question however, how come this is dated 1/1/10 and posted today 5 months later? Not trying to be a wise ass....just wanting to know.

As to posting date I just received an email from Corona with the information but I think that the added section that I highlighted may be a new addition to the January 1 law but I am not positive about that. No problem on the wise-a$$ thought i had the same question when I received it but figured I would pass it along as others probably knew nothing of it either.

[md4958]

Where is the ACLU when you need them?? :r:r:r

[MarkinAZ]

Where is the ACLU when you need them?? :r:r:r

:DHA! I was thinking the same thing Moe when I read this. They are about as useless on 2nd Amendment issues too...

[ucubed]

Next time I'm at the Orange County Convention Center (we go every year on Jan. 3, 4, 5 for a convention) I'll step outside as I usally do for a cigar.

Yes sir I will. Screw them.


I do have a question however, how come this is dated 1/1/10 and posted today 5 months later? Not trying to be a wise ass....just wanting to know.

Let me know Scott and I'll join you...I'm about 15 minutes from the Convention Center and as for the law...it's already in place, just there is no enforcement of it... the portion that is updated is the "On March 19, 2010, Mayor Crotty's anti-tobacco campaign received a boost when he allocated $6.6 million in federal stimulus funds (supposed to be used to create jobs) to the Orange County Health Department to prevent tobacco usage."

[Tenor CS]

This stinks. Glad I live in Polk county. Although, at work, I am sometimes stuck on parking lot cleanup detail. Guess what is the #1 most common piece of trash I find?

Not bottles, candy wrappers, chewing gum, or paper ...

It's cigarette butts.

I have come to despise cigarette smokers. They ruining it for the rest of us. While cigar smokers tend to be classy folks who enjoy a stogie in the fine outdoors, out on the golf course, or a finely appointed cigar bar, cigarette smokers have turned the world into their own giant ashtray, and it is partly for this reason that tobacco is now the demon du jour for politicians to pick on.

If they really wanted to do something to improve the health of county employees, they should stock the vending machines with only low fat, low calorie, "natural" snacks, like fruit.

[md4958]

If they really wanted to do something to improve the health of county employees, they should stock the vending machines with only low fat, low calorie, "natural" snacks, like fruit.

Dont give them any more ideas Christian, whose side are you on here?!?!

:r:r:r

[Smokin Gator]

That is about one worthless law. Next time I am in Orlando I guarantee I will break it just to break it.

[Neuromancer]

Ya know, what really gets me, is how any of these anti-smoking bans can be legal when tobacco is a legal product in the US...if tobacco were illegal that would be one thing, however, it's not...how can anyone ban the use of a legal product, and wouldn't that make that law unconstitutional?

[SNKBYT]

As to posting date I just received an email from Corona with the information but I think that the added section that I highlighted may be a new addition to the January 1 law but I am not positive about that. No problem on the wise-a$$ thought i had the same question when I received it but figured I would pass it along as others probably knew nothing of it either.
I don't know about any of you the watch the "local" news....I don't recall seeing this on the local news channels
That is about one worthless law. Next time I am in Orlando I guarantee I will break it just to break it.
I have already broken this law but didn't know I was breaking any laws

[Blueface]

Ya know, what really gets me, is how any of these anti-smoking bans can be legal when tobacco is a legal product in the US...if tobacco were illegal that would be one thing, however, it's not...how can anyone ban the use of a legal product, and wouldn't that make that law unconstitutional?

Marc,
Please don't give them any ideas.

Oh...........forgot............they will NEVER make smoking illegal. Where will they then get the tax money from?