News and Events

Dixie County Adopts Smoke-Free Parks and Beaches Ordinance
January 4, 2024

The Tobacco Free Partnership of Dixie County, the Dixie County SWAT Chapter that includes Dixie County High School SWAT Club, the Ruth Rains Middle School SWAT Club and the Dixie Learning Academy Community SWAT Club, would like to thank the Dixie Board of County Commissioners for adopting Ordinance 2023-11, “PROHIBITING SMOKING WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF DIXIE COUNTY PUBLIC PARKS, AND PUBLIC BEACHES”.  On January 4, 2024, the Dixie County Commissioners, Chairman Jamie Storey, Commissioner Mark Hatch, Commissioner David Osteen, Vice Chairman Jody Stephenson and Commissioner Daniel Wood voted unanimously to approve the ordinance. 

The Ordinance that was introduced by Chana Watson, County Attorney, prohibits any person in or on any County-owned public park or public beach to smoke tobacco. Chana Watson noted at a County Commissioners meeting, that this ordinance included the county-maintained boat ramps on the Gulf of Mexico, Steinhatchee River and the Suwannee River.  The county owned and maintained locations were included in the ordinance to protect children and others who spend time in the parks and public beaches where they should not have to inhale secondhand smoke.  Secondhand smoke exposure can cause numerous health problems and has been linked to cancer and other fatal diseases.  According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, over 7,000 chemicals have been found in tobacco smoke, including hundreds that are toxic and up to 69 that are known carcinogens. 

In 2017 the Dixie County Commissioners passed a Resolution #08-3-2017 "SUPPORTING TOBACCO-FREE RECREATIOAL AND SPORTS PARKS FOR ADULTS AND YOUTH IN DIXIE COUNTY" that supported the prohibition of the use or possession of any form of tobacco during all activities by adults and youth at Dixie County Parks. At that time, the Clean-Indoor Air Act prohibited the county from adopting an ordinance but in June 2022 Governor DeSantos signed HB105 to change the Policy to the Clean Air Act and permitted local governments (Counties and Cities) to adopt Tobacco-Free, Smoke-Free ordinances.  The Tobacco Free Partnership of Dixie County and the Dixie County SWAT youth have been working on educating local community groups and Dixie County Commissioners on the changes in the policy and the need for Dixie County to adopt a Tobacco Free Parks and Beaches Ordinance.      

Ordinance 2023-11 lists that no person is permitted to smoke, burn, ignite, inhale, exhale, or possess any cigarette, pipe, or other lighted tobacco products. This list does not include the large, non-filtered cigars that are exempt in HB105. The ordinance also did not include vape products since they are not considered a lighted product.  The Dixie County High School SWAT officers are already planning to begin to educate the County Commissioners on the need to include vaping on the ordinance due to the e-epidemic (sharp increase in vaping rates) in Dixie County among youth. According to the 2022 Florida Youth Tobacco Survey, 26 % of 11–17-year-olds in Dixie County currently vape.  The Dixie County SWAT youth want to share with the County Commissioners that they are continuing to see so many of their peers vaping at all grade levels and anywhere youth hand-out. The Dixie County Anti-Drug Coalition has supported a county ordinance with hopes of addressing vaping at the parks because not all vape devices contain only nicotine.  Many types of drugs have been used through vape devices. By prohibiting all vape use and procession at the county parks, they would eliminate the possibility of drugs being vaped at the parks and beaches.  Partnership members have shared that they have experienced the strong smell of vaped marijuana at Shired Island beach, which is a Dixie County beach. 

The Dixie County Commissioners have been very supportive of all initiatives by the Dixie County SWAT Youth and the Tobacco Free Partnership throughout the years.  This vote proves that they care very much about the health of the youth in their county.  Adopting Ordinance 2023-11 will give more support towards a Tobacco Free/Nicotine Free Future for Dixie County.