Effective March 1, 2016 (by ordinance effective January 2, 2020), all Chatham County government grounds are tobacco-free. The ordinance covers any property that is owned, leased, or maintained by the county. This includes any county vehicle, county buildings, and county property, including the Chatham County parks system.

This ordinance prohibits the use of any tobacco products, including cigarettes, cigars, all forms of smokeless tobacco (e.g., dip), and other smoking devices, namely vapor products (electronic cigarettes), on county grounds.

Tobacco use and secondhand smoke exposure are leading preventable causes of illness and premature death in North Carolina and the nation. Chatham County is committed to ensuring that staff, residents, and visitors can avoid the risks associated with tobacco while on county grounds.

If you have any questions, please see the resources below or e-mail tobaccofree@chathamcountync.gov.

Ordinance and Press Release

Chatham County Tobacco-Free Ordinance

Press Release Announcing Tobacco-Free Ordinance (December 17, 2019)

If you are interested in tobacco cessation services or would like to know more about the updated tobacco ordinance, please call the Chatham County Tobacco Helpline at 919-545-8376 or visit www.chathamnc.org/tobaccocessation.

Additional Resources

• Tobacco Cessation Resources
• Information on Electronic Cigarettes
• Youth Tobacco Prevention
• Secondhand Smoke Exposure (Source: NC Division of Health and Human Services)
• Smoking and Health Effects (Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Electronic Cigarettes Key Findings (Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Electronic Cigarettes (Source: NC Division of Health and Human Services)
• QuitlineNC: For help quitting tobacco use, call toll free 1-800-QUIT-NOW or visit the QuitlineNC website.