CC 2018-02-27 Items Rec'd at Mtg vOTom(
Good evening everyone,
My name is Wendy Teodoro and I'm a junior at Arroyo Grande High School, as well as a member
of the Friday Night Live Program.The Friday Night Live Program is a campus club that creates
awareness and healthy changes for the youth of San Luis Obispo County. I am here tonight to
talk about Arroyo Grande's second-hand smoking ordinances and how they are affecting the
community's youth.
As a young member of the Arroyo Grande community, I, along with my fellow peers, are
constantly exposed to the ill-effects of secondhand smoke.Just last year, as a sophomore, I was
shocked to witness a fellow classmate smoking only ten minutes after the end of school. Passing
by him,the cloud of smoke from his cigarette hit me in the face, causing me to cough.As you
are well aware,the smoker has chosen to expose themselves to the effects and harm of
smoking; however the non-smoker has NOT agreed to this exposure, in what are oftenup blic
areas. I think it is important to consider the facts of what secondhand-smoke is: in each exhale
of more than 7,000 harmful chemicals are released into the atmosphere,with at least
70 of those chemicals known to be a direct cause of cancer.
As I was looking into our current policies, I saw that the last time the second-hand smoking
ordinances were updated was in 2009,_ nearly a decade ago. Although these changes were a
significant accomplishment at the time,they only prohibited smoking_in recreational areas.The
FNL Club of Arroyo Grande High School would like to propose that these tobacco use ordinances
be updated and more comprehensive to include the prohibiting of smoking in dining areas,
entryways, service areas, sidewalks, public events, and worksites.Also, we would like to
recommend the inclusion of the use of e-cigarettes and marijuana to the definition of tobacco
and its related city ordinances.
These city policies are important to myself and the youth of AG, as cigarettes have been known
to be easily available to my age group for many years, but now, marijuana and e-cigarettes have
also become popular and accessible, as well.Therefore,we request an update to chmt_er 8.36,
(Tobacco Products)to reflect the 2016 state law that has increased the legal age to buy tobacco
and its related products to 21.
Lastly,we would like to request that Arroyo Grande have more comprehensive signage that
states "no smoking" and "no tobacco" as well as "no vaping" and "no marijuana" use in
specified areas.
I would like to thank you for listening, and we look forward to seeing these healthy and
beneficial updates and changes on the second-hand smoking ordinances in our community.
'game "
.
fiendTeodoro
Phone nu mb-er :
( 805) goLH - BBIS
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