No Butts About It: NYC Bans Smoking From Public Parks
- Posted on February 2, 2011 at 3:31pm by
Meredith Jessup
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The city of New York has stepped up efforts to police the bad habits of its citizens.
On Wednesday, the city council voted 36 to 12 to ban smoking at all the city’s public parks, beaches and public plazas. The NY Daily News reports:
Councilmembers in favor of the bill gave impassioned speeches about loved ones who died of smoking-related cancers and children who suffered from asthma.
Opponents invoked civil liberties, including some who said they were personally opposed to smoking and were great supporters of banning cigarettes in bars, but were disappointed that lawmakers did not consent to a compromise bill that would have restricted smoking to designated areas in parks.
Others said they were torn, including Queens Councilman Leroy Comrie — who even invoked Kristallnacht, saying if “we start going after individual personal liberties,” we’ll end up with tyranny. But Comrie ended up voting for the bill, he said, because his teenage kids told him he should. …
“Parks and beaches are places where people sit and talk, and they deserve to be smoke-free,” said bill sponsor Gale Brewer (D-Manhattan).
Previously, smoking in New York was banned from restaurants, bars and within a given distance of a health care facility. The latest proposal was initially announced last summer by Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has also supported the ban on bake sales.
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bruce_baker
Posted on February 4, 2011 at 4:53pmYes! Those nasty smokers should have no rights at all. What’s best for everyone is much more important than their rights.
Now that I think about it, it would be better for everyone if certain people were eliminated. We could put them into ovens and smoke THEM! Seig, Heil!
Report Post »benrush
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 9:06pmWho decides what is “good” for the public? We’re told its not good to have religion, we’re told it IS good to have abortion paid for by federal funds, we’re told we HAVE to have a department of energy, a health care plan, but no displays of ten commandments, we MUST have an income tax at the federal level although that was never in the constitution,
Wow, this “public” who speaks for everyone is highly intelligent, and able to always rightly divide the power of government, true?
Report Post »MassHole
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 7:28pmBan smoking indoors. Ban smoking outdoors. Ban e-cigs. Ban pets at the beach. Ban 4-loko. Ban text driving. Ban bottled water (Concord, Mass.)Ban novelty lighters. Ban trans-fat. Ban salt. Ban employees from listening to talk radio.
Need I continue ?
Report Post »Derfel Cadarn
Posted on February 4, 2011 at 11:37amI say we institute the final solution and ban GOVERNMENT!! I am not a smoker but I cannot tolerate peoples freedoms being throttled. NYC residents have much larger air quality concerns than tobacco smoke. Get your heads out of your asses and solve your other problems such as the rogue police,budget, tax parasites and corruption in that noble cause of public service.
Report Post »kandykissey
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 4:52pmAs a non smoker with severe lung problems I appreciate the efforts put forth to protect me from effects of other peoples smoke. I feel if people want to smoke at home it’s their business. I also get annoyed by inconsiderate people throwing their butts on the ground or hanging around doorways so that I have to walk through smoke to enter. Maybe the tobacco companies should build shelters to protect their smoking customers from the elements & furnish them with ashcans. I realize there are some smokers who try to respect others but an awful lot of them have no clue & what‘s more don’t seem to care. I think those smokers have brought the persecusion on themselves and no one seems to address that part of the problem.
Report Post »azmomof6
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 4:19pmPopular sovereignty! I don’t want freedoms taken away, but you have to realize that your freedom ends where mine begins. You have the right to smoke and I have the right to not smoke from your cigarette.
Report Post »TheGreyPiper
Posted on February 4, 2011 at 12:08amDo I have the right to operate a tavern in which I smoke and allow my patrons to smoke?
Report Post »azmomof6
Posted on February 5, 2011 at 7:27pmAbsolutely. If you want to smoke in your own private business and patrons want to be there and smoke, go for it. At that point you would not be pushing your smoke on any person who didn’t choose to be there. A public place is different. Parents shouldn’t have to avoid public (paid for with taxes) places such as parks because they don’t want their children to have to breath in your smoke. I don’t have a problem with the park having designated smoking areas that people are able to avoid if they want. Public parks are for everyone. As long as we don‘t trample each other’s freedoms, we can all enjoy the park.
Report Post »LisaM11463
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 3:06pmI don’t know about anyone else, but I am fed up with the government telling me what I can and cannot do. If anyone doesn’t like my smoking in public, cross over to the other side of the street! I do all I can when I am out in public to avoid blowing any smoke in someone’s face when they are walking by or when they are standing next to me. I purposely find a place to stand all by myself just so that I am not bothering anyone who does not smoke, anyone who has asthma, COPD, etc. But I am not going to be told by any government official what I can and cannot do. I go by God‘s laws and nobody else’s.
Just recently the town next to me in Pennsylvania had an article in the newspaper stating that the town will be installing cameras throughout the town. But the newspaper stated not to worry because the cameras will be so small we won’t even be able to see them, that they will not be a distraction.
Report Post »This is just another sign that “Uncle Sam” is watching everything we do. Not only are states installing these cameras outside, but the government will be taking control of the internet as well. Where does it stop?
azmomof6
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 4:24pmI’m grateful to you for your awareness and consideration of others. Not all smokers are as thoughtful as you. We have some public places with designated smoking areas. People can avoid those areas if they want.
Report Post »Curioso
Posted on February 4, 2011 at 7:25am@LisaM11463
Report Post »Sorry to say this but it does not stop it will continue until there are the masters (elites that know whats best for us) and the slaves (everybody else that is not in the elite class). The only answer is to vote them out and repeal all these laws and regulations but that probably won’t happen till it is to late. That time is fast approaching when it will take more than a lot of people are willing to do to correct the situation. Be prepared for the future through educating yourself and preparing for natural and man made disasters the later being brought about by Political and Religious disagreements.
valricoslash
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 12:39pmLooks like the only place you can smoke in NYC is in the middle of an intersection. Good luck. Death will come a lot quicker after your run over by a bus. LOL
Report Post »Scorchem
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 10:53amIt’s a good way to get rid of the driftwood.
Report Post »faires
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 9:56amTobacco Products are STILL SOLD LEGALLY!?_
This is a game of Cat and Mouse, We know its not good for you, but we don’t want to give up the revenues that make us rich either, so you can smoke, but we’ll regulate how, when and where you can do it___And Bureaucrats think WE”RE STUPID?!_
Report Post »I’d like to tell the Tobacco Police to Go to H*ll, I won’t impose a regulation on how, when or where ya do it either!__have a Great Day! :)
ninetoesjudd
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 9:49amSo walk around with an electronic cigarette. Then sue the city when they bust you.
Report Post »ivdad
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 9:46amAnother reason for me never to go to New York.
Report Post »ringostore
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 9:20amTerrorist could be attacking again, riots could be in the streets just like Egypt, but if you light up a cig, man you are in big trouble, cops will stop everything they are doing and arrest that smoker!!
BTW New York…….Second Hand Smoke is a Myth. Google Anti Second Hand Smoke, there is no evidence. A thousand cigs can be burning in a room, and there is no significant toxicity.
Report Post »florida123
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 8:08amWow NYC must have deeper pockets than we realize…….How are they going to enforce this? What a Joke!
Report Post »Tanarus
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 5:23amHad Enough yet? Check the Vid & pass the page around.
http://exposed.liberty.com/
Red Max
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 1:29amSo, the government says one cannot smoke in a restaurant (Private property.) it does not own, one cannot smoke the open public areas which the people paid for (Can one exhale, or pass gas?), and one cannot eat salt at a restaurant. People, WAKE UP! Your liberty is being slowly taken away. What next?!
Report Post »Down2TheC
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 1:49amThey’ll lose tourism over that one. NYC sucks anyway. Chicago FTW.
Report Post »Bet they’ll let you burn a flag in Central park though.
Deuteronomy22
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 10:13amI have the right not to inhale your smoke more than you do to make me.
Report Post »Curioso
Posted on February 4, 2011 at 6:53amPretty soon we will get there. A country of jailers and convects. Why don’t they ban all automobiles and or any transportation not powered by human effort too since we all know that the carcinogens created by burning anything is high also they should shut down all the heaters and air conditioners because those cause pollution too. Oh yes and they should take out all the elevators in all of those tall buildings because they contribute to the pollution of the world. No more Barbeque either causes smoke that has carcinogens in it. Oh not to be forgotten they should ban breathing too because that causes pollution (carbon dioxide,and other gasses, to say nothing of the germs, lets not mention what comes out of the other end).
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