Orange County, Florida: Mayor Crotty Bans Use of Tobacco Products

Effective January 1, 2010, the use of tobacco products (including: cigars, pipes, cigarettes, chewing tobacco, snuff, snus, and hookahs) on all county owned and leased land was outlawed through an order signed by Orange County's Mayor Richard T. Crotty as he and a coalition of anti-tobacco supporters work to make the entire county tobacco-free. This OUTDOOR ban comes on the heels of Florida's statewide existing indoor smoking ban which is already in affect. Several major cities, including Orlando, reside in Orange County and the local economy heavily relies on tourism. The ordinance now outlaws the use of any tobacco product in areas such as outdoors at the Orange County Convention Center, County parks, fishing docks, boat ramps, outdoor trails, county owned parking lots, streets and sidewalks. Additionally, in order to maintain employment, County employees are required to sign an affidavit which states that any employee who enjoys more than four cigars per year they will be fined $650 each year they violate the tobacco policy. On March 19, 2010, Mayor Crotty's anti-tobacco campaign received a boost when he allocated $6.6 million in federal stimulus funds (supposed to be used to create jobs) to the Orange County Health Department to prevent tobacco usage. View The Ordinance (PDF)

Please Contact These Orange County Lawmakers:

CRA is urging members in Florida and across the country to take action by contacting Mayor Richard T. Crotty and the county commissioners to express your opposition to this tobacco policy and your support of seeing the ordinance reversed. Remember to tell these lawmakers that "enjoying a cigar is not a crime!"

Email: Mayor Crotty Telephone: 407-836-7370 | Fax: 407-836-7360 Postal Address: County Mayor Richard Crotty 201 S. Rosalind Ave., 5th Floor Orlando, FL 32801 Email: Commissioner Boyd Telephone:407-836-7350 | Fax: 407-836-5879 Postal Address: Commissioner S. Scott Boyd 201 S. Rosalind Ave., 5th Floor Orlando, FL  32801 Email: Comm. Brummer Telephone:  407-836-7350 | Fax: 407-836-5879 Postal Address: Commissioner Fred Brummer 201 S. Rosalind Ave., 5th Floor Orlando, FL  32801 Email:Commissioner Stewart Telephone:  407-836-7350 | Fax: 407-836-5935 Postal Address: Commissioner Linda Stewart 201 S. Rosalind Ave., 5th Floor Orlando, FL  32801 Email: Commissioner Segal Telephone: 407-836-7350 | Fax: 407-836-5879 Postal Address: Commissioner Bill Segal 201 S. Rosalind Ave., 5th Floor Orlando, FL  32801 Email: Comm. Moore Russell Telephone: 407-836-7350 |  Fax: 407-836-5879 Postal Address: Comm. Tiffany Moore Russell 201 S. Rosalind Ave., 5th Floor Orlando, FL  32801

CRA Needs Your Help!