More than 60% of adults surveyed in four Finger Lakes counties support public-health policies making parks, playgrounds and other gathering spaces smoke-free and vape-free, according to the Tobacco Action Coalition of the Finger Lakes.
The coalition said 19% opposed those policies, while the remaining respondents were neutral or unsure in the April survey of adults in Ontario, Seneca, Wayne and Yates counties.
The release did not include the survey's sample size, recruitment method, question wording or margin of error, limiting the ability to assess how broadly the findings represent adults across the four counties.
The survey also found 61% of respondents believed seeing tobacco or nicotine use in outdoor public spaces makes young people somewhat or much more likely to use tobacco products themselves.
Hannah Lee, the coalition's director, said the findings reflect residents' interest in parks and public spaces that reduce exposure to tobacco smoke, vaping aerosol and tobacco-related litter. The group issued the results as families prepare for the school year and continue using parks and trails during the final weeks of summer.
The American Lung Association, which operates the coalition with funding from the state Bureau of Tobacco Control, says tobacco smoke contains more than 7,000 chemicals and at least 69 known carcinogens. It says e-cigarette aerosol can contain heavy metals, volatile organic compounds, flavoring chemicals and ultrafine particles.
The coalition also cited environmental concerns from discarded cigarette butts and vaping devices. It said those products can release toxic chemicals, microplastics, lithium batteries and heavy metals into soil and water.
Tracy Brown-Simmons, who handles community engagement for the coalition, said smoke-free and vape-free policies can help keep outdoor areas clean while reducing children's exposure to tobacco litter and nicotine products.
The Tobacco Action Coalition of the Finger Lakes focuses its work in Ontario, Seneca, Wayne and Yates counties and is one of 21 community partnerships funded through the state's tobacco-control program.
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