Hammond adopts a comprehensive smoke-free ordinance.
FACTS AND INFORMATION ABOUT THE HAMMOND ORDINANCE
The passage of a policy in Hammond to make all workplaces smoke-free represents an exciting turning point for public health in Louisiana. The Hammond smoke-free ordinance (Hammond City Ordinance No. #15-5424 C.S.), effective July 20, 2015, prohibits smoking in all enclosed public places of employment, including all bars and gaming facilities. Hammond is now among national leaders in an effort to protect citizens from the dangers of secondhand smoke exposure. Moving forward, no one in the great city of Hammond will have to choose between their health and a paycheck.
Hammond Smoke-Free Ordinance Eliminates Smoking and Vaping Use in:
- Bars
- Bingo facilities
- Child care and adult day care facilities
- Convention facilities
- Educational facilities, both public and private
- Elevators
- Enclosed areas of places of employment
- Gaming facilities
- Health care facilities
- Hotels and motel rooms
- Lobbies, hallways, and other common areas in apartment buildings, condominiums, trailer parks, retirement facilities, nursing homes and other multiple unit residential facilities except in designated smoking areas, not to exceed 25% of the total common area which must be located at least 5 feet outside entrances, operable windows, and ventilation systems of enclosed areas where smoking is prohibited.
- Parking structures
- Polling places
- Private clubs
- Private and semi-private rooms in nursing homes.
- Public transportation vehicles, including buses and taxicabs under the authority of the City and ticket, boarding and waiting areas of public transportation facilities including bus, train and airport facilities.
- Restaurants
- Restrooms, lobbies, reception areas, hallways, and other common-use areas.
- Retail stores
- Rooms, chambers, places of meeting or public assembly, including school buildings under the control of an agency, board, commission, committee or council of the City or a political subdivision of the State to the extent the place is subject to the jurisdiction of the City.
- Service lines
- Shopping malls
- Sports arenas, including enclosed places in outdoor arenas.
- Theaters and other facilities primarily used for exhibiting motion pictures, stage dramas, lectures, musical recitals, or other similar performances
Smoking and Vaping use prohibited outdoors:
- Within 5 feet outside entrances, operable windows and ventilation systems of enclosed areas where smoking is prohibited so as to prevent tobacco smoke from entering those areas.
- All outdoor property within 5 feet of all buildings owned, leased or operated by the City of Hammond
- Outdoor shopping malls, including parking structures, outdoor arenas, stadiums and amphitheaters, bleachers and grandstands, recreational areas, outdoor playgrounds, outdoor public transportation stations, platforms, and shelters under the authority of the City.
- State law prohibits smoking within 25 feet of public entrances and wheelchair ramps of office buildings owned by the State and within 200 feet of entrances, exits and outdoor areas of elementary and secondary schools
HOW TO COMPLY
Business Owners/Employers:
- Clearly and conspicuously post at every entrance "No Smoking" and "No Vaping" signs
- Clearly and conspicuously post on every vehicle used in employment "No Smoking" and "no vaping signs"
- Ashtrays must be removed where smoking and vaping is prohibited
- Ask individuals smoking or vaping on the premises to stop
- If an individual does not stop, refuse service and ask the individual to leave the premises
- Call City Hall at 985-277-5601 for a free Business Toolkit to assist with implementation
Patron or Employee
- Do not smoke or vape in any area where smoking or vaping is prohibited
Non-Compliance
- To report a violation and speak an individual, contact City Hall at 985-277-5601 during office hours (Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm). To report a violation outside of these hours, please leave a voicemail.
Those in noncompliance may be subject to the following penalties:
Business Owners/Managers/Employers
- Up to $100 for first violation
- Up to $200 for second violation in a 12-month period
- Up to $500 for the third and subsequent violations in a 12-month period
- Violation may also result in suspension or revocation of any permit or license issued for the premises on which the violation occurred
Individuals:
- A person in violation is subject to a fine not exceeding fifty dollars ($50).
QUITTING RESOURCES
The Louisiana Tobacco Quitline provides free and confidential counseling by Certified Quit Coaches to Louisiana residents ages 13+ who are ready to quit smoking. Counseling is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year in English, Spanish and 150 other languages. For more information call 1-800-QUIT-NOW or visit QuitWithUsLA.org.
The Smoking Cessation Trust offers free medications, group and individual counseling, and quitline coaching to Louisiana residents who started smoking cigarettes before September 1, 1988 and want to quit. For more information call 1-855-259-6346 or visit SmokingCessationTrust.org.
The LSU Tobacco Control Initiative offers free or low-cost services to all Louisiana public hospital patients, employees, and surrounding communities, including individualand group counseling and cessation medication. For more information visit http://sph.lsuhsc.edu/tci or LSUHospitals.org/cmo/hcet/5tob.htm.
The American Lung Association’s Freedom From Smoking Online is a program that provides information and support to help smokers quit. For more information visit http://www.lung.org/stop-smoking/how-to-quit/freedom-from-smoking/
Please contact Jaime Bruins at 985.974.7247 jbruins@lphi.org if you have any additional questions or need more information.
