Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

NYC Bans Smoking in Parks, Beaches

Council vote follows Bloomberg's request

By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff

Posted Feb 3, 2011 3:00 AM CST

(Newser) – The New York City Council voted to ban smoking in parks, beaches, and public plazas, the Daily News reports. Amid speeches on friends lost to smoking and arguments for civil liberties, members were divided, 36 to 12, in favor of the ban. Mayor Michael Bloomberg issued a call for the ban in September after the Daily News published photos of vast numbers of cigarette butts littering Coney Island.

“Parks and beaches are places where people sit and talk and they deserve to be smoke-free,” said the bill's sponsor. The ban will be mostly self-policed.

Howard Yourow, from New York, and lights a cigaretteto smoke in City Hall Park on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2010, in New York. The city has banned smoking in bars and restaurants and propose to completely snuff out cigarettes in public parks, on beaches and in pedestrian plazas.
Howard Yourow, from New York, and lights a cigaretteto smoke in City Hall Park on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2010, in New York. The city has banned smoking in bars and restaurants and propose to completely snuff...   (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
My TakeCLICK BELOW TO VOTE
1%
2%
10%
42%
5%
39%
To report an error on this story, notify our editors.
COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 20 comments
MDD
Feb 4, 2011 3:49 AM CST
Welcome to the US of A, Home of the used to be Free!
Ucantusethatname
Feb 3, 2011 2:12 PM CST
Passing any law that thousands will ignore is dumb. Bloomberg, you are dumb.
Ivan
Feb 3, 2011 1:33 PM CST
Wanna smoke, come to Richmond. We're still smoke in bars.
US • Health

 
New York City • smoking • beach • smoking ban • public park

 
Other Sites We Like:   24/7 Wall St.   |   BuzzFeed   |   Cracked   |   Timelines   |   POPSUGAR Tech   |   Business Insider   |   HuffPost Entertainment   |   NewsOne