City poised to ban lighting up in public parks

By: Gary J. Remal
Boston is poised to fine anyone who smokes in its parks, including those who light up cigarettes or joints or who puff on e-cigarettes.
City councilors yesterday approved the ban, which also would apply to other property controlled by the Parks and Recreation Commission, and includes a $250 fine for each violation.
“It passed unanimously on a voice vote,” City Councilor Bill Linehan told the Herald.
Mayor Thomas M. Menino must sign the ordinance, and it must be adopted by the city Parks and Recreation Commission before it takes effect, said Nick Martin, spokesman for the Boston Health Commission.
That likely won’t be a problem, as the ban was put forward by Menino, and Martin said the ordinance was crafted by his agency, the parks commission and police officials.
“For the purposes of this subsection, the term smoking shall include inhaling, exhaling, burning or carrying any lighted cigar, cigarette, pipe, or other lighted or vaporized substance in any manner or form, including marijuana used for medical or any other purpose,” the new ordinance reads.
Linehan said he had introduced his own legislation to stop marijuana use in city parks.
“I put one in against pot smoking, but then the administration came in with a complete ban so I supported that,” he said. “It has the same set of criteria and enforcement, so I quickly decided to back that.”
The city has had limited bans on outdoor smoking in toddler playgrounds and in outdoor eating areas associated with restaurants, Martin said. But this is the first widespread ban on outside smoking.
“Those were just an education and awareness effort,” he said. “We posted signs that said no smoking, but there was not any enforcement. This is the first time there has been an 
enforcement effort outside.”
The ordinance says, “There is no known safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke, and secondhand smoke exposure in certain outdoor areas has been found to pose a significant health risk,” noting that “cigarette butts are a leading source of litter in Boston’s parks and pose a nuisance as well as choking hazard for children.”
http://bostonherald.com/news_opinion/local_coverage/2013/11/city_poised_to_ban_lighting_up_in_public_parks