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MINUTES OF THE HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE <br /> JULY 11, 2022 <br /> AUDITORIUM <br /> Present: Chairperson Kepple (appearing virtually via Zoom), Councilmembers Marx, & Rader <br /> Also Present: Councilmembers Baker& Shachner, Rick Novickis & Roger Sykes of the <br /> Cuyahoga County Board of Health, Clerk Bach and Deputy Clerk Lascu taking minutes <br /> Call to Order: 6:00 p.m. <br /> Approval of the minutes of the Health& Human Services Committee held March 7, 2022. <br /> Motion by Councilmember Rader, seconded by Chair Kepple to approve the minutes. All in <br /> favor. Motion passed. <br /> Communication from Lakewood Youth Council regarding smoking, e-cigarette, and <br /> tobacco usage in public parks. (Referred to HHS 5/16/22) <br /> Chair Kepple gave opening remarks about the proposal to ban smoking, e-cigarette, and tobacco <br /> usage in public parks and deferred to members of the Youth Council for more background and <br /> commentary. <br /> Several members of the Youth Council spoke about how a ban on tobacco usage in parks would <br /> positively affect public health outcomes and the environment from litter and waste. They <br /> described an uptick in e-cigarette and tobacco usage among their peers and sought to create <br /> spaces free from secondhand smoke and cigarette butt litter. <br /> Councilmembers expressed support for the proposal and sought the group's thoughts on <br /> enforcement. Youth Council members stated a desire to have smoking in parks enforced as a <br /> minor misdemeanor by Lakewood Police Department, similar to open carry of alcohol. <br /> Councilmember Baker noted his desire to partner on the issue, as the MetroParks went smoke <br /> free in recent years, and sought the chief's input on enforcement, surmising a 1-year notice <br /> period prior to strict enforcement. Chief Kaucheck anticipated giving out many warnings, with <br /> the hope that people would eventually begin to self-police with largely passive enforcement. <br /> Chair Kepple cited the ban as a good opportunity for the parks ambassador to engage with folks. <br /> Rick Novickis, Director of Environmental Public Health for the Cuyahoga County Board of <br /> Health (CCBH), commended the Youth Council and promoted an initial passive approach to <br /> enforcement, focusing on the need for education. He spoke briefly about CCBH's sponsored <br /> smoke free workplace acts and Tobacco 21 program. <br /> 1 <br />