We thank our community for its participation in and support of the former Smoke-Free Carroll County Coalition, which worked from 2007 to 2009 to increase the number of people in Carroll County living smoke-free lives.

While the Coalition no longer meets as an organized group, The Partnership for a Healthier Carroll County continues to champion some-free and tobacco-free lifestyles by providing resources on these pages, and through collaborative projects with other organizations. Tobacco use and tobacco exposure are risk factors in the majority of our Core Health Improvement Areas. We consider fighting tobacco use to be one of the pillars of our work, and will continue to provide information on tobacco legislation progress, tobacco facts, and quit help from local sources.

We welcome opportunities to share information and collaborate in initiatives against tobacco use in Carroll County. Please contact Dorothy Fox at DLFox@CarrollHospitalCenter.org or 410-871-6373 for more information.

Milestones

June 21, 2009 – The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act was signed into law. This historic legislation gave the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authority to regulate tobacco products for the first time.

February 1, 2008 was a landmark day for health in our state. The Clean Indoor Air Act of 2007 went into effect banning smoking in bars and restaurants in our state. Maryland has now joined more than 30 other states and numerous countries world wide. Click here to view the regulations connected with the Clean Indoor Air Act.

May 17, 2007 – Governor Martin O’Malley signed legislation requiring all bars and restaurants in Maryland to become smoke-free, effective February 1, 2009. The law protects the health of bar and restaurant employees and patrons, closing the legislative loophole that allowed these establishments to be exempt from the state’s workplace smoking ban. Thank you to all who rallied for Smoke-Free Maryland to become a reality!

Page updated: 10/11