Bears Fans Take Note: No Smoking During Home Games

First-time violators of the smoking policy will be asked to exchange their ticket for a "Smoking Card."

Photo courtesy: NFL.com

LAKE FOREST, Ill. - In order to be compliant with the Smoke-Free Illinois Act, smoking will be prohibited at Soldier Field during all Chicago Bears home games beginning with the preseason contest on August 25 versus the San Francisco 49ers.

There will be no designated smoking areas inside or outside of Soldier Field and re-entry is prohibited for those who choose to exit the stadium premises to smoke.

Violators of the strictly enforced policy are subject to ejection from the stadium; repeated violations can result in the loss of a patron’s personal seat license and forfeiture of season ticket privileges.

Ushers and security officers will be enforcing the new smoke-free policy.

First-time violators of the smoking policy will be asked to exchange their ticket for a “Smoking Card.”

Any patron refusing to exchange his or her ticket will be ejected from the stadium.

If a patron with a smoking card is then smoking in the stadium for a second time, he or she will be ejected.

To help communicate the policy change to fans the Chicago Bears will be sending out a letter to all season ticket holders.

Also the policy change will be noted in the Fan Guide, stadium signage and announcements, videoboard and LED board messages, the team’s official website, sponsorship promotional stadium giveaways and comments by on-air talent.

The Illinois Smoke Free Act passed the State Legislature during the beginning of the month of July and it was signed by Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Monday, July 23.

The act bans smoking in indoor public venues, workplaces inside and outside such as bars, restaurants, casinos and bowling alleys, sports arenas that are "enclosed or partially enclosed", and smoking within 15 feet of entrances or open windows of buildings where smoking has been banned.

The ban will become effective on Jan. 1, 2008, but the policy will be implemented for all Bears games at Soldier Field this season, rather than change the policy for any potential home playoff contests in January of 2008.

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