Pulaski County Promotes Tobacco-Free Parklands
Pulaski County Parks & Recreation has committed to making all its parklands 100% tobacco-free and vape-free, ensuring a clean, healthy, and safe environment for all to enjoy.
This commitment was initiated by Y Street, the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth’s (VFHY) largest youth-led program. VFHY and Y Street members work to ensure that Virginians have equitable access to clean and healthier outdoor spaces through their campaign, Share The Air. Share The Air aims to create 100% tobacco-free and vapor-free parklands by supporting local parks and recreation departments, along with government officials, in adopting comprehensive, voluntary policies that encourage no tobacco and e-cigarette use in outdoor public areas.
Pulaski County Parks & Recreation collaborated with Y Street High School members to explore how a partnership with Share The Air and adopting a voluntary policy could enhance its parks and outdoor recreational areas, thereby improving residents’ overall experience. Park Director Shay Dunnigan championed this effort with the new Director of the Office of Drug Prevention and Recovery, Katie Thompson. Pulaski County strives to create dedicated spaces that allow residents to be active, relax, and gather outdoors. For this reason, the department partnered with Share The Air, becoming the campaign’s 28th partner and joining other localities with voluntary tobacco-free outdoor policies.
The impact of Pulaski County’s voluntary policy is expected to reduce tobacco and vape litter, lower residents’ exposure to secondhand smoke and vape aerosol, and provide positive role modeling for youth who use the town’s parks, playgrounds, and outdoor recreational areas. Park Director Shay Dunnigan says, “The health and well-being of our citizens of all ages is a tenet of Pulaski County leadership. The County’s many and varied outdoor spaces promote exercise, relaxation, and community engagement, and we are thrilled to partner with Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth and Y Street to promote cleaner and healthier playgrounds, parks, and trails for all.”
As part of its partnership with Share The Air, Pulaski County will receive free tobacco-free signage to post and remind residents and visitors of the policy to support its efforts in creating healthier outdoor environments.
April 15, 2025 @ 8:49 am
they should make no eating in the park to because people don’t want to throw away there trash properly and it gets all over the banks were I fish and kids dirty diapers all over the ground so don’t change your babies in public anymore either so if you need to fish and container on the Bank to people should have trash under control and kids under control and dogs in leashes at all times to no one needs to be stipulations put in them just because they don’t smoke cigarettes and keep your alcohol like wine drinks out of the park to even though its a picnic for a party your having for a wedding at the gazebo in the park you pay to use for a special day so if they are going to stop one lets stop it all there just being peddy people with big money sorry but its my gods giving right to have common sense if I see a child I don’t light up but don’t put stipulations on the fun we all share the Park keep the bike on the main road and not in the walking around so now we all can be peddy people with in ower right if I pay to Go into a state park I should be able to go and enjoy myself and not worry about stupid smoking rules
April 14, 2025 @ 6:56 pm
Sign me up for the free tobacco. I will follow the signs. I personally think that this has gone to far, you don’t want anyone to smoke,dip, or chew, even when your outside. This country was built on tobacco and whiskey. Keep your parks and trails, ill sit at home and enjoy myself
April 14, 2025 @ 1:06 pm
Does this include dipping also? Its considered a tobacco product .