Lincoln County Health Department Clean Indoor Air Regulations

Clean Indoor Air

A large number of studies have established that tobacco smoke significantly contributes to indoor air pollution and that exposure to secondhand smoke leads to diseases, including lung cancer, in non-smokers. Children, the elderly, and individuals with cardiovascular or respiratory conditions, including asthma, are particularly vulnerable.
Health risks associated with inhaling secondhand smoke encompass lung cancer, heart disease, respiratory infections, and diminished respiratory function, manifesting as bronchoconstriction and bronchospasm.

The United States Surgeon General, along with other respected public health authorities, has concluded that tobacco smoke inhalation:

  • Causes a variety of diseases in healthy non-smokers.
  • Significantly contributes to indoor air pollution.
  • Poses a heightened risk to children, fetuses of pregnant women, the elderly, and individuals with cardiovascular or respiratory conditions.
  • Can provoke acute respiratory distress.
  • Increases the cumulative exposure to carcinogens in tobacco smoke for both smokers and non-smokers.
  • Strains the healthcare system by escalating the frequency of hospital admissions and emergency room visits, thus increasing both public and private healthcare costs.
  • Decreases the life expectancy of those regularly exposed to secondhand smoke.
  • Leads to considerable productivity losses due to smoking-related work and school absences.

In addition to the health risks, the use of high-tech smoking devices, such as electronic cigarettes or “E-cigarettes,” has raised concerns. Testing by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has revealed that some e-cigarettes contain nicotine, carcinogens, and toxic chemicals, including tobacco-specific nitrosamines and diethylene glycol. The FDA’s findings also indicated that these products’ manufacturing quality control processes are inconsistent or non-existent. E-cigarettes emit a vapor that may contain unknown and potentially harmful substances, which can be mistaken for the smoke from traditional tobacco products. Their use in workplaces and public areas where traditional tobacco smoking is banned raises concerns and complicates the enforcement of smoking bans. Additionally, e-cigarette usage among middle and high school students greatly increases the risk of nicotine addiction and the subsequent use of conventional cigarettes.

Clean indoor air regulations have been found to help prevent diseases by reducing smoking rates and discouraging potential new smokers from becoming addicted to smoking.

Lincoln County Smoking Bans

Smoking is banned in all enclosed public spaces within Lincoln County, including, but not limited to:

  • Elevators
  • Restrooms, lobbies, reception areas, hallways, and other common-use areas
  • Buses, taxicabs, airports, and other public transit methods under Lincoln County's authority, including their ticketing, boarding, and waiting areas
  • Service lines
  • Retail stores
  • All public areas within businesses and non-profit entities frequented by the public, such as law offices, banks, laundromats, hotels, and motels
  • Restaurants, including outdoor seating areas
  • Public spaces in aquariums, galleries, libraries, and museums
  • Facilities primarily used for showing movies, stage plays, lectures, musical performances, and similar events
  • Sports arenas, convention halls, and bowling facilities
  • Rooms, chambers, and meeting or assembly places, including schools, controlled by any Lincoln County board, council, commission, or committee during public meetings
  • Waiting areas, hallways, wards, and rooms in health facilities like hospitals, clinics, therapy facilities, and doctors' or dentists' offices
  • Common areas in residential buildings, condominiums, trailer parks, retirement homes, nursing homes, and other multi-unit dwellings
  • Polling places
  • Auction houses
  • Enclosed shopping malls and indoor flea markets

Any owner, operator, manager, or other person in control of an establishment or facility may designate the entire establishment or facility as a nonsmoking area.

Smoking is prohibited in the following outdoor areas:

  • Designated smoking areas must be located at least 15 feet away from any entrance, exit, or ventilation units of any building or enclosed area where smoking is banned to ensure that tobacco smoke does not enter the area through entrances, windows, ventilation systems, or any other means. This includes the fresh air intake areas for the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems of any building.

Smoke-free Workplace

  • Employers are responsible for providing a smoke-free workplace for all employees. Smoking is prohibited in all enclosed facilities within a workplace, including common work areas, auditoriums, classrooms, conference and meeting rooms, private offices, elevators, hallways, medical facilities, cafeterias, employee lounges, stairs, restrooms, vehicles, and all other enclosed facilities.
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