Pascagoula Updates Smoke-Free Ordinance

PASCAGOULA, Miss. (WXXV) — On Tuesday night, leaders in Pascagoula updated the city’s smoke-free ordinance aimed against secondhand smoke.

More than 60% of Mississippi towns and cities are not protected by a smoke-free law, but the American Cancer Society hopes more Mississippi leaders work toward making a smoke-free environment a reality for Mississippians. The ordinance is a step toward promoting long-term health across the Gulf Coast.

“Smoke free environments are very important for all ages, because there is no safe level of second hand smoke, and that goes for the patrons of these places, but also those that have to work in these environments, but especially children. When they go out to dinner with their family, they don’t need to breathe in that smoke, but they also don’t need to see people smoking, and that sets a bad example, and hopefully, as these children are getting older, that’s one habit that they will not pick up,” said Kimberly Hughes, ACS Cancer Action Network Mississippi Government Relations Director.

Mayor of Pascagoula, Jay Willis, says the city has had a smoke-free ordinance for decades.

“People have not been able to smoke in restaurants or bars and enclosed spaces. The only change, that is of any substance in the ordinance that we were missing, so that allowed us to move into becoming a smoke free city certified by the American Cancer Society was the fact that our ordinance did not address vaping, electronic cigarettes, and medical marijuana,” Mayor Willis explained. 

If you are interested in learning more about smoke free ordinances, you can find more information at https://smokefreemississippi.com./