Title
Amending Chapter 10-600 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Public Places -- Prohibited Conduct," by prohibiting smoking in public places and in the workplace, and providing for penalties, all under certain terms and conditions.
Body
WHEREAS, Beginning in the 1940s, the City of Philadelphia has enacted prohibitions on smoking in various public facilities in order to protect the public health and welfare; and
WHEREAS, Smoking on public transit vehicles has been prohibited in the City since 1943 and was declared at that time to be a "nuisance prejudicial to the welfare and safety" of the riding public; and
WHEREAS, Smoking in certain retail stores has been prohibited since 1947, and smoking in places of public assembly with a capacity of more than 100 persons has been prohibited since 1948; and
WHEREAS, Pursuant to the City's Fire Code, smoking is prohibited in various facilities such as warehouses, stores, industrial plants, institutions and schools; and
WHEREAS, Since 1993, an Executive Order has prohibited smoking in all City-owned and City-occupied space to which the public has access; and
WHEREAS, Several measures have been enacted which seek to curb access to cigarettes and tobacco products by minors, including Bill No. 732 (approved December 28, 1995) which required purchasers of tobacco products to present a photo I.D. and required warning signs about sales to minors on vending machines; and, Bill No. 960367-A (approved June 23, 1998) which required "lock-out devices" on cigarette vending machines; and
WHEREAS, Many studies have found that tobacco smoke is a major contributor to indoor air pollution and that exposure to secondhand smoke is a cause of many serious health diseases in adult non-smokers and children; and
WHEREAS, This Ordinance is enacted to further protect the public's health and welfare from the dangerous, unnecessary and involuntary health risks associated with exposure to secondhand smoke; now, therefo...
Click here for full text