Incline Village GID votes to ban smoking from all facilities

INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. - The Incline Village General Improvement District (IVGID) Board of Trustees voted unanimously to prohibit the use of any form of tobacco at all district-owned and operated facilities, including restrooms, spectator and concession areas.

Per Nevada statutes, marijuana and vaping use were already prohibited in all public spaces.

The move by the board was to "help protect the health, safety, and welfare of the residents and guests of Incline Village and Crystal Bay."

The district-owned and operated facilities include, but are not limited to, Incline Beach, Ski Beach, Burnt Cedar Beach, Aspen Grove Community Center, Village Green, Incline Skate Park, Incline Park Ball Fields, Preston Field, Incline Disc Golf Facility, Incline Fitness Trail, Diamond Peak Ski Resort, Incline Village Golf Courses, and Incline Tennis Facility.

IVGID will designate specific tobacco use areas.

“Not only is tobacco use detrimental to our health, but cigarette butts are also often discarded on the beaches and other grounds requiring additional maintenance expenses for the district,” said Indra Winquest, Interim General Manager of IVGID. “Cigarette butts and other discarded tobacco products pose a serious risk to the quality of our environment and this new policy enacted by the board is a step in the right direction toward combating litter and pollution in and around Lake Tahoe.”

No smoking, except in designated areas, signs will be posted at district-owned or operated facilities to inform the public of the new policy. Any person found violating the no-smoking policy may be subject to immediate suspension of recreational privileges in accordance with IVGID Ordinance 7.

IVGID’s no-smoking policy follows similar policies enacted throughout the Lake Tahoe Basin. In 2019, the California Legislature passed Senate Bill 8 prohibiting the use of cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, marijuana and vaping at state parks and beaches.