There was once a time where you would walk into a restaurant and ask whether you wanted to be seated in the smoking or non-smoking section. Today, where you can and can’t smoke is as limited as the advertisements that promote cigarettes.
Exposure to secondhand smoke has been linked to disease and premature death, and since the CDC has determined that there’s no risk-free level when it comes to how much second-hand smoke is too much, smoking in most public places has been banned.
Alas, there are still are smokers who have to find a place they can enjoy a smoke without getting fined. While most people know and understand the smoking laws in Delaware, you may not be aware of some, including:
- You can’t smoke in a car if there is a passenger under the age of 12 present. Children are extremely vulnerable to the negative impact tobacco smoke has on the lungs. Between the exhaust fumes, pollutants in the air, and second-hand smoke lighting up in a car puts a child at risk of the health problems associated with smoking. The same goes for the home – you’re not allowed to smoke in a home that is being used for child care.
- You can’t smoke in spaces that are more than 50% enclosed because there isn’t a whole lot of circulation going on that can filter the smoke out of the space. This includes covered areas in recreational parks, amusement parks, and outdoor shopping malls. Tents and marquees in public areas also ban smoking on premises for the same reason.
- You can’t smoke in indoor spaces that are open to the general public. In Delaware, the clean indoor air act prohibits smokers from smoking in areas like malls, food establishments, and places of employment. This is the state’s effort to improve the overall environment and health of patrons in public spaces by limiting their exposure to tobacco smoke and emissions.
Keep in mind not everyone wants to smoke or be around it, so be mindful and courteous to those around you.
This post brought to you by Tobacco Express.