The Colorado Tobacco Education and Prevention AllianceFACT SHEET:
Preemption

Preemption is a Serious Threat to Effective Tobacco Control Policies:

  • Local smoke-free policies are a proven way to reduce tobacco consumption and prevent youth initiation of tobacco use.
  • Statewide preemption of local smoke-free policies will greatly impact the ability of local governments and health professionals to be able to effectively address tobacco use in their community.

Local Smoke-Free Policies are Good for Colorado Communities:

The only business that loses is the tobacco business.Smoke-free laws are designed to protect the health of residents, visitors, and workers.

  • Economic studies of smoke-free policies enacted in Colorado and throughout the country indicate that revenues remain stable and in some instances actually increase.

Preemption is an Afront to the Strong Local Control Sentiment in Colorado:

What works in Ft. Collins does not necessarily work in Olathe.Localities should have the right to decide what is best for their community!

  • Local governments are closer to the community and its problems and have been more effective than the state government in addressing the problem of tobacco use.
  • Local agencies are able to better implement and enforce their laws than state enforcement agencies.
  • We do not need a “uniform state law” as the Colorado Restaurant Association would like to lead you to believe.
    • Businesses and the public are familiar with their local community laws and have no reason to be confused by varying laws in different communities.
    • Each community with a smoke-free policy are prominently displaying “No Smoking” signs in all public places which eliminates any confusion on the communities law.

Preemption Has Always Been, and Continues to be, the Tobacco Industry’s Chief Legislative Goal:

  • At the local level, the tobacco industry is at a significant disadvantage and finds it nearly impossible to defeat local policy campaigns, so they try to prevent local ordinances via preemption at the state level.
  • The tobacco industry and its partners, including the hospitality industry, support preemption.
    • Whom do you trust to protect our health – the health community or the tobacco industry and its front groups?

Preemption is Big Government Telling Communities What to do:

  • Preemption of local policies is a centralized “big government” piece of legislation that would tie the hands of cities and towns on the theory that only state government knows best.