Borough Seeks No Smoking Poster

Residents of Chatham Borough and Chatham Township are invited to submit their designs for a new No Smoking poster.

The poster is for use in Chatham Borough, which passed an ordinance in November forbidding the use of tobbaco related products in all parks, playgrounds and recreation areas, as well as at the and the .

Smoking in these public areas can now result in a $100 fine. The ordinance has been in effect since Nov. 8, 2010, and now that warmer weater is on its way, the borough wants to make sure residents and visitors know that violations carry penalties.

The winning poster will be determined by a panel of judges made up of members of the Board of Health and other local officials. "We want to see the creative spirit come out," said Board of Health member Kay Kaiser. "We would like students, teachers, senior citizens, everybody to enter this [contest]."

Submissions will be divided into categories by age, with one category for students from kindergarten through the fourth grade in one category, fifth through eighth grades in another category, high school students in their own category and adults competing in their own category. Prizes will be awarded in each age group.

All posters must be submitted on a piece of posterboard 22 by 28 inches long, which can be purchased at CVS, Staples or . Submissions are due to the Clerk's Office in the Chatham Borough Municipal Building on May 27, and all submissions will be on display at the municipal building and at the library beginning June 6.

When the Borough Council passed the ordinance in November, Alan Kantz from the Global Advisors on Smokefree Policy (GASP), said Chatham Borough was the ninth municipality in Morris County with smoke-free recreational areas and the sixth in in the county to ban smoking near government buildings.

Kantz said that public smoking bans in New York City had been shown to extend life expectancy by 1.7 years. "We think this ordinance will really improve the quality of life and length of life."

Those who would like to learn more about the contest can call Kay Kaiser at (973) 635-2781.