Grapevine Farms Goes Tobacco-Free

The use of tobacco products on Grapevine Farms’ property and facilities in Cobleskill negatively affects everyone who works and spends time there. Knowing that fact, owners Tim and Tracy Purcell recently adopted a tobacco-free policy. Staff from Advancing Tobacco Free Communities of Delaware, Otsego and Schoharie Counties (ATFC-DOS) presented some tobacco-free zone signage to the Purcells to post to help educate visitors about the tobacco-free policy that took effect October 1.

Tim Purcell said, “It’s scary that more than 28,200 individuals die from smoking-related diseases every year in New York State and we want to do anything we can to protect our customers and staff. We are very proud of what we have accomplished at Grapevine Farms over the past fifteen years. Not only do we want to create a warm and friendly atmosphere, but we are committed to providing a healthy environment for everyone who shops and dines here.”

Tracy Purcell shared “We all know someone who has died from smoking. Exposure to secondhand smoke and aerosol is harmful to people. Tobacco litter causes environmental pollution and is a danger to young children and wildlife. So prohibiting employees, patrons and community members from using any tobacco products on our porch, grounds and parking lot will make it a healthier place.”

The Purcells worked with ATFC-DOS to develop a tobacco-free worksite policy. Tobacco products are defined as any manufactured product containing tobacco or nicotine including but not limited to cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, snuff, chewing tobacco, dipping tobacco, bidis, snus, dissolvable tobacco products and electronic nicotine devices (ENDS) like electronic cigarettes.

ATFC-DOS educates the community and decision makers, mobilizes community members around the problems that tobacco addiction causes in local communities, and helps decision makers understand the types of  choices that they have to address these problems. The NYS Department of Health’s Bureau of Tobacco Control provides grant funds to the Research Foundation of SUNY at SUNY Cobleskill to implement ATFC-DOS. ATFC-DOS focuses on initiatives that support the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) goals for tobacco control programs that aim to reduce tobacco-related deaths and alleviate the social and economic burden caused by tobacco use.