Image of a cigarette butt QUITTING
Guide for Quitting Smoking arrow icon

Kicking the habit can be hard, especially when people around you smoke. But, you can do it. When you're ready to quit.
Image of a couple enjoying dinner at a restaurant. RESTAURANTS AND OTHER PUBLIC PLACES

N.J.A.C. 8:6-2.1 prohibits smoking in public indoor places; restaurant, work place, mall, stores, etc. Smoking is permitted on the outside area of public places as long as smoke does not enter the public portion of the building through, windows, doors, vents, etc. Casino floors in Atlantic City are the only remaining public place that is exempt from the smoking regulations. The owner of any indoor public place is charged with the enforcement of the smoking prohibitions. The local Health Department and/or the general public may file charges against the owner of an indoor public place for not enforcing the smoking prohibition and/or the person who is found smoking. A complaint form is provided if anyone would like to file a complaint with the Health Department.
Image of a school and school children SCHOOLS

N.J.S.A. 26:3D-58D promulgated regulations that prohibit smoking in school buildings and on school property in New Jersey. High Schools within Sussex County have established no smoking policies for students, which include specific penalties for smoking violations. The penalty provisions of the law are enforced by the local or County health department. The Sussex County Division of Health has established cooperative agreements with two high schools, Lenape Valley Regional and Sparta in the enforcement of the smoking regulation. Students who violate the no smoking law, first will receive a written notice to the parents or guardian. The second violation will institute a letter from the department mandating a one hundred dollar penalty payable to the Municipality in which the high school is located. Failure to pay the penalty will necessitate that a summons be issued to the student to appear in Municipal court. Smoking policies for each school can be found on their individual web sites.
Bed bugs are small wingless insects that feed solely upon the blood of warm-blooded animals. TEENS

Whether it's peer pressure, the way the media glamorizes the use of tobacco products, or simply curiosity, the American Lung Association estimates that every minute 4,800 teens will try smoking for the first time and about 2,000 will go on to be chain smokers. Teens need to learn the facts before they take their first drag of a cigarette or open their first can of chewing tobacco.
Image of healthy walking couple HEALTH

17.1% of New Jersey residents smoke and according to the New Jersey High School Survey 49% of Sussex County teens have tried smoking at least once.

In Sussex County the female lung cancer death rate is 8.4% above the state's average. Smoking is reported to shorten a woman's life by 14.5 years and a man's life by 13.2 years. Smoking has been found to be responsible for at least nine cancers other than lung cancer. Cardiovascular disease (like stroke and aneurysms) and lung diseases (like emphysema and pneumonia) are also linked to smoking.

Second hand smoke also increases a person's risk for cancer, lung disease and heart disease. People, adults and children alike, who breathe in these chemicals, can be affected even if they have never smoked themselves. 62,000 deaths each year are the result of breathing in second hand smoke.

Pregnant? arrow icon
Iconic image of stick figure with telephone COMPLAINTS
We want to hear from you.

Fill out an online Health Department Complaint
or,
Fill out a form in Microsoft Word, save it, and email it back to us
Health Department Complaint Form
or,
Fill out an Adobe PDF
Health Department Complaint Form then either email it back to us or print it and mail it to us.


health@sussex.nj.us
Phone: 973-579-0370 Fax: 973-579-0399

County of Sussex
Division of Health
Complaints
One Spring Street
Newton, NJ 07860



Image of scales representing justice LAWS
NJ Smoke-Free Air Act
Image of a father with two daughters PARENTS
Parents who Smoke Put Their Children At Risk arrow icon

  • More young children are killed by parental smoking than by all unintentional injuries combined
  • Smoking by parents is a major cause of death among infants from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
  • A new study found that adolescents were at the greatest risk of smoking when their parents began smoking at an early age
  • A total of 46% of secondary school pupils say they are concerned their parents are unable to kick the habit
  • Pregnant? arrow icon
Image of skull and crossbones. TOBACCO
Tobacco causes 11,000 deaths each year in New Jersey.

FDA Cigarette Pack Images

4,000 different chemicals are contained in cigarettes. Cigars and chewing tobacco, bidis, and kreteks are all made from the same dried tobacco leaves and have the same cancer causing ingredients added for increased flavor as cigarettes. Of these 4,000 chemicals 200 are poisonous, and 69 are cancer causing. Some of the most recognizable chemicals are formaldehyde, arsenic, ammonia, and acetone.

Chewing tobacco, bidis (leaf-wrapped, flavored cigarettes from India), and kreteks (clove cigarettes) can lead to cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, and nicotine addiction. Users of chewing tobacco have a high incidence of becoming cigarette smokers in the future. The increased risk for heart and lung disease is also present.