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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
RECOGNIZING THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF COOK COUNTY FOR IMPLEMENTING SMOKE-FREE HOUSING THROUGHOUT ITS MULTI-UNIT HOUSING PROPERTIES
WHEREAS, Tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of death and disease in the United States, killing more than 480,000 Americans each year with an estimated 42,000 of these deaths from exposure to second-hand smoke; and
WHEREAS, Research indicates that there is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke and only 100% smoke-free environments protect from dangers of second-hand smoke; and
WHEREAS, in order to create 100% smoke free environments, we need to work together to create smoke-free campuses, parks, and homes; and
WHEREAS, Cook County has laws to protect the health of the residents of suburban Cook County, such as the Smoke Free Illinois Act and the Cook County Clean Indoor Air Ordinance (06-O-12) which prohibits smoking in all enclosed public places and places of employment within the County of Cook. This includes all hospital properties and campuses throughout the Cook County Health and Hospitals System, all of which are 100% smoke-free; and
WHEREAS, in an effort to mitigate the irritation and known health effects caused by secondhand smoke, reduce the maintenance, cleaning, and redecorating costs attributable to smoking, and decrease the risk of fire from smoking, all Housing Authority of Cook County developments are implementing smoke-free protections on December 1, 2015; and
WHEREAS, working together, the Housing Authority of Cook County and the Cook County Department of Public Health have educated tenants as to the risks of tobacco use and second-hand smoke, and have established supports for tenants who want to quit smoking; and
WHEREAS, the Housing Authority of Cook County has partnered with the Cook County Department of Public Health-led "Healthy HotSpot" initiative, which builds healthy places in suburban Cook County through community partnerships...
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