Butt out: New York City Council bans smoking on beaches; parks

[BabushkaLady]

Butt out: New York City Council bans smoking on beaches, in public parks in 36 to 12 vote

BY ERIN EINHORN
DAILY NEWS CITY HALL BUREAU

Originally Published:Wednesday, February 2nd 2011, 4:00 AM
Updated: Wednesday, February 2nd 2011, 7:45 PM

A unusually divided City Council on Wednesday passed a total ban on smoking in parks, beaches and public plazas.

Council members in favor of the bill gave impassioned speeches about loved ones who died of smoking-related cancers and children who suffered from asthma.

Opponents crowed about civil liberties, but came up short in rallying enough votes to strike down the ban.

It passed 36 to 12.

The ban on smoking in parks is the latest proposal from Mayor Bloomberg to curtail New Yorkers' bad habits.

Bloomberg initially questioned whether the city had the resources to police smoking in its sprawling parks, but changed his tune last summer after the Daily News ran photos for more than 1,000 cigarette butts gathered on the beach at Coney Island.

In September, he formally called for the ban, which requires City Council approval.

It will largely be self-policed.

"Parks and beaches are places where people sit and talk and they deserve to be smoke-free," said bill sponsor Gale Brewer (D-Manhattan).


Linky (http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2011/02/02/2011-02-02_city_council_to_vote_on_smoking_ban_in_beaches_ public_parks.html#ixzz1CqSYezvw)

This makes my blood boil; and I don't even smoke . . . what's next?? Are they going to tell me I can't talk to myself in public??


"Parks and beaches are places where people sit and talk and they deserve to be smoke-free enjoyed by all people especially those over-taxed smokers," said B-Lady

[Ponce]

This is so FUCKINGGGGGGGGG stupid (sorry, but I am angry), in a restaurant, cafe, club and so on is ok, I understand that............but..........at the beach and park? way out in the open?..............crap >:(

[BabushkaLady]

This is so fuckINGGGGGGGGG stupid (sorry, but I am angry), in a restaurant, cafe, club and so on is ok, I understand that............but..........at the beach and park? way out in the open?..............crap >:(


Makes your blood boil too? The read between the lines for everyone is What's Next? When Does It End? Never. Until they have full control of your entire life---sad!

"And it will be largely self-policed." Snitches encouraged I'm sure.

[Buddha]

This is so fuckINGGGGGGGGG stupid (sorry, but I am angry), in a restaurant, cafe, club and so on is ok, I understand that............but..........at the beach and park? way out in the open?..............crap >:(


The government should not even be able to tell restaurant and club owners what to do with their business.

[Buddha]

"And it will be largely self-policed." Snitches encouraged I'm sure.


That's the only thing that they can do. What are they gonna do, go and hire several thousand "smoking police"? :lol At my local community college one cannot smoke anywhere on the property, not even out side, not even in your own car on the property
Of course this can hardly be enforced, if at all. All this ends up doing is making the campus look like shit because there are no ashtrays around, as if that will stop people from smoking outside. Smokers still smoke, but now there are piles of cigarette butts everywhere.

[Cobalt]

Many Non smokers will be cheering victory on this, wait until they pass a "You are too fukkin Fat Law" and I will laugh when the vending machines are pulled just like they did many years ago against us smokers.

People just don't get it, they chip away at our rights every single day trying to make each and every one of us appear like we came from the same mold.

[Road Runner]

I am a non smoker so don't like to be in a smoke filled room. My mom was a smoker and died from lung cancer. In fact all my family smoked so I pretty much grew up in a second hand smoke environment. However I still do not believe it is right to make laws to ban smoking. More laws only mean more police and control. A lot of these ridiculous laws get put on the books and passed but it seems they wait a fair amount of time to actually crack down on them, so when they say it will be pretty much self-policed that will only be until they need more revenue and then the "police" who are to protect and serve us :sarc: will be after us....

[Ponce]

Well, I am a non smoker but I think that there should be limits as to what a government can tell you to do or not to do...........specially in something like smoking in the open air.

[Road Runner]

Well, I am a non smoker but I think that there should be limits as to what a government can tell you to do or not to do...........specially in something like smoking in the open air.


Hey ponce, re-read my post above, don't know how I ended up making it sound like I was for banning smoking but I AM NOT FOR THOSE LAWS. I fixed it....

[Ponce]

Road? did you posted something? hummmmmmmmmmm hahahahahahahaha.

[Spectrism]

I think this is a good thing. We need more laws because the governments (city, state, federal, etc) know better than the morons what is good for them. Next we need to have a ban on eating & drinking in public places. Then we need to outlaw farting in public. I think the mayor (Bloomberg) should go around putting his nose up people's asses to show he cares about whether they fart in public. So, bring on more of those laws because they are so good for forming the right habits. One small favor I ask: bring all the laws on at once.... just really go wild with big brother helping us out. ( I think that is what Obamacare is all about.)

[mick silver]

i like to have people tell me what i can an cannot do ... fucking joke . i hope in my life time i can tell they ass h what they can an cannnot do . i bet that would not go over to good