News and Events

Cross City Votes to Move Forward with a Smoke-Free Parks Ordiance
February 26, 2024

On February 26, 2024, the Dixie County High School SWAT club and the Tobacco Free Partnership of Dixie County presented to the Cross City Town Council about the need to adopt a Tobacco Free/Vape Free Parks Ordinance to protect the kids, families from second-hand smoke and prevent tobacco litter.

The SWAT Youth shared that the Dixie County Commissioners adopted an ordinance that prohibits any person in or on any County-owned public park or public beach to smoke tobacco. 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. 

Until June 2022 the Clean-Indoor Air Act prohibited any municipality from adopting an ordinance to make parks or beaches tobacco free, then Governor DeSantos signed HB105 to change the Policy to the Clean Air Act that finally 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 SWAT youth shared with the Town Council that the county ordinance 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 shared with the Town Council that they are continuing to see so many of their peers vaping at all grade levels and anywhere youth hang-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 town parks, they could eliminate the possibility of drugs being vaped at the parks.  Partnership members have shared that they have experienced the strong smell of vaped marijuana at one of the town parks. 

The Town Council discussed the need for the ordinance and a motion was called to adopt an ordinance to make the Cross City Town managed Parks tobacco and vape free.  There was discussion on using similar wording that the county used for their ordinance.  The town council asked questions of the Chief of Police about concerns with the wording in Section 18-4 (B) Any person who violates subsection (A) commits a noncriminal violation, punishable by a fine of not more than $100 for the first violation and not more than $500 for each subsequent violation. With some discussion, the motion to adopt an ordinance reflecting the county policy but to include vaping products that do not have to be nicotine.  The vote was unanimously approved.

The Cross City Town Council Members, Mayor Kenneth “Tank” Lee, Vice-Mayor Jerry “Ryan” Fulford, Kirk Marhefka, Charlie Heidelburg, Jr. and Angela Carter, the Town Manager, John Driggers, the Town Attorney Lindsey Landers and the Cross City Chief of Police, Jamey King thanked the Tobacco Free Partnership and the Dixie County High School Club for attended the meeting and for presenting to them on the need for a Tobacco Free and Vape Free Parks Ordinance. This vote proves that they care very much about the health of the youth in their community.