Posted on 09/15/2009 5:01:59 AM PDT by reaganaut1
New York City’s workplace smoking ban six years ago drove cigarette and cigar puffers outdoors. But soon some of the outdoors may be off limits, too: The city’s health commissioner, Dr. Thomas A. Farley, said Monday that he would seek to ban smoking at city parks and beaches.
Dr. Farley said the ban — which officials said may require the approval of the City Council, but could possibly be done through administrative rule-making by the city’s Department of Parks and Recreation — was part of a broader strategy to further curb smoking rates, which have fallen in recent years. The proposal, however, seemed to catch Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg off guard.
On Monday night, the mayor, who has championed antismoking programs but also is running for re-election, issued a statement that did not disavow the proposal but appeared to qualify it, saying he wanted “to see if smoking in parks has a negative impact on people’s health.”
He added, “It may not be logistically possible to enforce a ban across thousands of acres, but there may be areas within parks where restricting smoking can protect health.”
The City Council speaker, Christine C. Quinn, whose support could be crucial, said she would want the Council to hold hearings on the matter. She said that fines should be modest and not intended primarily to punish, and that any ban should make clear whether areas like boardwalks are affected.
“Conceptually, that’s an idea I’m very, very interested in and open to,” she said of Dr. Farley’s proposal.
Such bans are still rare, though growing in number. A number of municipalities — particularly in California — have banned smoking at outdoor parks, playgrounds and beaches. In 2007, Los Angeles extended its smoking ban, which already covered beaches and playgrounds, to include municipal parks.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
poor little smokers....da be the victims.
In Davis Kali, they made it illegal to smoke within x number of feet outside of any business. Eventually the only place you could legally smoke downtown was standing in the middle of the street.
That bloomberg is a regular nanny isn’t he.
Just keep abusing the people who are paying for the nations’ healthcare...
This is just going to remind the voters what an asshat Bloomie & his cronies are.
Give them an inch they will want to take a mile. This has nothing to do with smoking its all about POWER. What are they going to want NEXT.
NEXT..... will be no smoking in your car or home.
Then soon after...
No flatulance.
Every so often, I enjoy a good cigar - Padron, Rocky Patel or Hoyo de Tradicion Toro Grande - after a good meal. Things have gotten so bad, I can only smoke in my Jeep. On a summer evening, I’ll actually blow the smoke out only to hear people complain from the sidewalk. Gimme a break and end the Nanny State, please!
You bet your ass they are the victims. Only a frickin' communist(or liberal if you prefer)would think otherwise. BTW, I don't smoke, but I know injustice being done when I see it. You encourage this sh** and then wonder how they can get away with the crap Bozo is pulling on us now.
Do some research sometime and find out how much state and federal revenue is generated by Tobacco tax.
Smokenaziknowitalls just make my day.
Seriously
I love the smell of a cigar!When I was a kid one of our neighbors smoked cigars and us kids loved that smell. I also like the smell of a just lit cigarette.I don’t smoke cigarettes but I like a to have a stogie every once in a while.Screw the nanny staters.
You do not get it. It is not “smokers” they are going after, they are just testing how much they can regulate our lifes!
They choose a target “smokers” and then began restricting and taxing.
The American people responded like sheep because no one likes smokers. Wait for it Drango, somewhere down the line they will select the group you are in and where will you be.
The tobaco industry made a fatal error years ago when they gave in to the policticians. And the American people made a fatal error when they allowed policticians to regulate one aspect of their life.
I grew up in the 1950s with all the freedoms individual choices gave us, life in 2009 is no where as free. I can only imagine how restrictive life in 2059 will be. All because we were annoyed by second hand smoke.
Won't matter as he has no real competition.
We’ll see how you respond when they outlaw something YOU enjoy...
Another reason to stay away from “Armpit City.”
This is not America.
This is an exercise in government controlling citizen behaviors. They are already taxing soda in some places as they do tobacco. Fast food tax has been floated lately too. This isn’t about tobacco. It’s about control.
considering the number of liberals per capita in NYC, it is rather hard to feel sorry for them.
They need to really FEEL the nanny-state intrusion to realize just how badly it SUCKS!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.