NYC Bans Smoking in Parks, Beaches

We don't know about you, but this is fantastic news!

New York City's parks, beaches and even Times Square will be off-limits to smokers under one of the nation's toughest anti-cigarette laws passed Wednesday by the City Council. "This summer, New Yorkers who go to our parks and beaches for some fresh air and fun will be able to breathe even cleaner air and sit on a beach not littered with cigarette butts," Mayor Michael Bloomberg said after the 36-12 vote. The smoking ban will cover 1,700 parks and 14 miles of public beaches plus boardwalks, marinas and pedestrian plazas like the one in the heart of Times Square. The ban goes into effect 90 days after Bloomberg signs the bill; the mayor has 20 days to do it. States and cities from Maine to California have banned smoking in public parks and beaches, but New York is pursuing one of the widest-reaching urban bans. Smoking is also prohibited in Los Angeles city parks and in Chicago parks with playgrounds. Supporters of the New York ban said exposure to secondhand smoke poses health risks. "The statistics don't lie: Secondhand smoke kills," Council Speaker Christine Quinn said. "With this bill, all New Yorkers can now breathe easier and breathe cleaner air." A law banning smoking in New York City bars and restaurants went into effect in 2003.

Violators of this long-overdue law will be fined $100, but police won't be responsible for enforcing it. Wait, what? The bill's main sponsor says the law will be "self-enforced", with residents warning anyone who lights a cigarette in a park or on a beach that it's illegal. Similar laws are in effect in some cities in California, Hawaii, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Texas.


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