Page 74 - Illinois Association of Park Districts Benefits of Membership 2017 - 2018

those where smoking was permitted.5 Further, smoke free laws promote healthy lifestyles, encourage tobacco cessation and reduce the initiation of tobacco use by youth.
Conclusion
The members of the Illinois Association of Park Districts support initiatives to eliminate smoking in public places. One of our primary goals is to promote healthy lifestyles, and we view the elimination of smoking in public places as a step toward that goal.
Making the air cleaner is not the only benefit of smoking ban legislation. Publicity during public debates educates citizens to the health hazards of secondhand smoke. The process brings people concerned about health together. They may collaborate on other useful projects. And since many smokers sincerely wish to quit, smoking restrictions can provide an additional incentive for them to kick the addiction.
ACTIONS
The Illinois Association of Park Districts will:
 Partner with community and statewide organizations, volunteers and health professionals to
eliminate smoking in both indoor and outdoor public places.
 Assist our member agencies in developing non-smoking policies and initiatives at the local level.
IAPD will accomplish this by researching our member agencies’ smoking policies and sharing them with the membership to create an awareness of the unique policies that exist. IAPD has and will continue to work with the American Lung Association of Illinois and the American Heart Association on this and other health-related issues.
5 Bluegrass Action News, “UK Study Finds Smoke-free Law Reduces Indoor Air Pollution,” 2004.
74