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Should smoking be banned in NYC parks?

Thunder

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http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/health&id=7014047

This is exactly what our dictator......sorry I mean Mayor, wants to do in his next term. He wants to ban smoking in all parks. Not just playgrounds, not just small parks, but even the big wooded parks and beaches.

Now, I am a liberal Democrat. And I am all for encouraging healthy behavior and discouraging unhealthy stuff, but legislating healthy behavior? I gotta say no.

Its funny, how Michael Bloomberg brings out the Libertarian in me.

Banning smoking indoors? Yes. Folks are a captive audience in there and its not right to force people to breath in someone else's 2nd hand smoke.

But outdoors? Banning smoking outdoors? I don't think so. As long as cigarrettes are legal, it should be legal to smoke outdoors or in your home or car or on your property, or on publicly owned property.

Even worse, the new Health commissioner of NYC said that "our children should not have to see someone smoking". So its not just the health aspect, its the aesthetic aspect too? He wants to make it illegal to smoke in a park cause he don't want Joey and Sally to simply SEE someone light up?

Give me a ****ing break. Once again, Mayor Bloomberg is going WAAAAY too far, and shows that he sees himself not just as a Mayor, but as a Komrad Kommisar.
 
Sure, why not? Not that think it's a health hazard, but every snoker thinks the world is their ashtray. Cigarette butts everywhere, and filters are toxic.

Not only should it be banned but throwing your butt on the ground should be a minimum $500 fine.
 
I disagree- cigarette butts are no worse than empty water bottles, and I see those everywhere. You're not moving to ban water just because some idiots leave theirs where they don't belong. You can't say that every smoker leaves trash on the ground- there's absolutely no evidence for that. And I'm not sure what the fine is for littering where you live, but where I live your $500 would be double what they claim to charge for everything else. You shouldn't criminalize smokers just because you don't like them.

You shouldn't ban smoking in open, outdoor places as long as smoking is legal, that's stupid. Who exactly is forcing you to stand next to a smoker in a large outdoor ares? And if you don't want Joey and Sally to see someone lighting up, maybe you should move out of NYC. There's an awfully large number of smokers there.
 
athene said:
I disagree- cigarette butts are no worse than empty water bottles, and I see those everywhere. You're not moving to ban water just because some idiots leave theirs where they don't belong.
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Most people do indeed throw their empty bottles away properly.

You can't say that every smoker leaves trash on the ground- there's absolutely no evidence for that.
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The next smoker I see walk 5 feet out of their way to properly dispose of their butt will be the first.

And I'm not sure what the fine is for littering where you live, but where I live your $500 would be double what they claim to charge for everything else. You shouldn't criminalize smokers just because you don't like them.
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I have nothing against smokers, I do hate cigarette butts lying about everywhere. Even on the ground right next to the butt bin left near the doorway just for them. Smokers just don't get it, don't even think about it. And hey, it could be worse than a $500 fine. Out west you can be charged with murder for starting a fire with your cigarette if the resulting wildfire kills someone.

You shouldn't ban smoking in open, outdoor places as long as smoking is legal, that's stupid. Who exactly is forcing you to stand next to a smoker in a large outdoor ares?
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Actually, I don't particularly mind the smell of cigarette smoke.

And if you don't want Joey and Sally to see someone lighting up, maybe you should move out of NYC. There's an awfully large number of smokers there.
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Location FAIL. Look at the words under my avatar...
 
Yet another reason I wont be voting for Bloomberg this election.


It doesnt bother me to not be able to smoke inside, rather I only go to bars that have terraces out front or in the back so this way I don't get carded all the time.

I am tired of the city telling me what I should and shouldn't do, like banning trans-fat. I am a responsible adult who can think for myself, I am educated well enough to know what is bad for me in large quantities. I think there are more pressing issues facing the city than whether or not someone is smoking in a city park. The fact that the city will now spend more money than needs to be spent on signs, campaign ads, and officers enforcing said law makes no sense since I am sure the cost of cleaning up a cigarette butt is cheaper.

Dennis Leary said it best "Soon you will have to smoke in your apartment underneath the covers."
 
Just imagine, banning someone from smoking while taking a stroll in Pelham Bay Park or Inwood Hill Park. These parks are huge!!

No one, not even Bloomberg, can honestly say that smoking in one of these giant parks disturbs other people. And if it does, move to one of the other 1,000 acres near you without a smoker.

Oy vey!!! Such chutzpah dis guy!
 
WildCat said:
Sure, why not? Not that think it's a health hazard, but every snoker thinks the world is their ashtray. Cigarette butts everywhere, and filters are toxic.

Not only should it be banned but throwing your butt on the ground should be a minimum $500 fine.
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Sorry but this seems a little self righteous. I'm not for littering but this goes too far. So you fine someone for flicking a butt but look the other way when some bozo dumps a quart of oil per week into the envirnoment? Let's fine everyone with an oil spot on his driveway $500 plus clean up costs.

What that doesn't count? How about the recyclables in your trash? Oh what chuckin a crap filled pampers is OK because we have the infrastructure in place to take it away and bury it out of sight?

What about your car tires? You don't think I breathe those fine particulates every day? Too hard on the brakes $500 fine. Too hard on the gas, $1000 fine.

Make smoking illegal. Ban the sale or STFU. Trying to circumvent the law with a bylaw is an infringement on civil liberties isn't it?

My apologies to you WC if i've taken this out of context. I'm not sure if you're against smoking in public or just the idiots flinging filters all over the place. I'm doubting it though, I'm sure you are aware there are already laws against littering.
 
Bloomberg certainly does need to read up on the 10th Amendment. He seems to really wanna be Big Brother.
 
parky76 said:
Bloomberg certainly does need to read up on the 10th Amendment. He seems to really wanna be Big Brother.
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This can be seen with the massive amounts of cameras that the NYPD has installed in manhattan or with the congestion tolls he wanted to put in manhattan, why not the cross bx, BQE, or the grand central? I don't mean to go on a rant and skew from the OP, but frankly, its getting tiresome with his intrusive laws on the average new yorker.

I understand not everybody smokes and not everyone wants to be exposed to it, but parky is right, go to Pelham Bay Park or Inwood Park...you can literally walk around for a day only encountering one or two smokers.
 
If you ask me, all tobacco products should be banned altogether in a modern high civilization, not only in public parks.
 
JJM 777 said:
If you ask me, all tobacco products should be banned altogether in a modern high civilization, not only in public parks.
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So why doesn't it happen? Because of the taxes on tobacco products.

Hypocrisy of the highest order from all levels of government.
 
parky76 said:
Even worse, the new Health commissioner of NYC said that "our children should not have to see someone smoking". So its not just the health aspect, its the aesthetic aspect too? He wants to make it illegal to smoke in a park cause he don't want Joey and Sally to simply SEE someone light up?

Give me a ****ing break.
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I think you might find this is more the idea, although I can't be sure:

**It's nice if you're the kind of smoker who smokes outside away from others. You're even careful not to let your smoke blow in other people's faces out there. At least you, the polite smoker, are not inflicting it on others. But, you are inflicting it on others if you allow children to see you smoke. You're giving children the idea that smoking is OK by your example. If you're trying to quit, let children know about it and tell them why. If you're not trying
to quit, how about starting now? It's about time.
--Duane Alan Hahn
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athene said:
I disagree- cigarette butts are no worse than empty water bottles, and I see those everywhere. You're not moving to ban water just because some idiots leave theirs where they don't belong. You can't say that every smoker leaves trash on the ground- there's absolutely no evidence for that. And I'm not sure what the fine is for littering where you live, but where I live your $500 would be double what they claim to charge for everything else. You shouldn't criminalize smokers just because you don't like them.

You shouldn't ban smoking in open, outdoor places as long as smoking is legal, that's stupid. Who exactly is forcing you to stand next to a smoker in a large outdoor ares? And if you don't want Joey and Sally to see someone lighting up, maybe you should move out of NYC. There's an awfully large number of smokers there.
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The old "love it or leave it" syndrome. That there's a slippery slope, I fear.

Because - maybe you're thinking of a different NYC than I'm thinking of, but there are actually a much larger number of non-smokers there, if I recall correctly. They should all move out if they don't want to put up with the smoking of the minority?

Call me when the Anarcho-Libertarians take over the City Council.

I'm a smoker and I agree with Wildcat. We've got a ban on smoking in public places, including parks, playgrounds, housing estates and government buildings. They do provide public ash trays and expect you to use them. The fine is hefty by local wage standards at US$225.
 
3bodyproblem said:
Sorry but this seems a little self righteous. I'm not for littering but this goes too far. So you fine someone for flicking a butt but look the other way when some bozo dumps a quart of oil per week into the envirnoment? Let's fine everyone with an oil spot on his driveway $500 plus clean up costs.

What that doesn't count? How about the recyclables in your trash? Oh what chuckin a crap filled pampers is OK because we have the infrastructure in place to take it away and bury it out of sight?

What about your car tires? You don't think I breathe those fine particulates every day? Too hard on the brakes $500 fine. Too hard on the gas, $1000 fine.

Make smoking illegal. Ban the sale or STFU. Trying to circumvent the law with a bylaw is an infringement on civil liberties isn't it?

My apologies to you WC if i've taken this out of context. I'm not sure if you're against smoking in public or just the idiots flinging filters all over the place. I'm doubting it though, I'm sure you are aware there are already laws against littering.
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To avoid the false dichotomy you've created, let's agree that we should fine similar offenses. (e.g. the people leeching oil into the soil, or Athene's water-bottle litterers)

I still, as a smoker who periodically tries to quit, believe that banning of smoking in public places is fine. Not sure how I feel about something the size of some of the bigger park areas - but I'm thinking playgrounds and vestpocket parks and city squares and such....., and Central Park.
 
It's not an original idea, Bloomberg's just catching up. India just implemented a country-wide public smoking ban.

I doubt Bloomberg seriously believes such a thing can be enforced. He must be simply pandering to dull New Yorkers.
 
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Hell I wouldn't mind a ban. This whole "Well if you are by a smoker then you should move somewhere else!" thing doesn't cut it. The smoker is the one who is engaging in a behavior that directly effects another person if they are within range. They are the ones who should have to move, not the non smoker. I think many colleges are banning smoking on their campuses as well, which is awesome. I remember going to classes and having to walk through plumes of cigarette smoke from people smoking in front of the doors. You would smell like smoke the rest of the day and for some reason my eyes like to water when I am around it too much. Thankfully the Army has made it so you can't smoke within 50ft of buildings.
 
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3bodyproblem said:
Sorry but this seems a little self righteous. I'm not for littering but this goes too far. So you fine someone for flicking a butt but look the other way when some bozo dumps a quart of oil per week into the envirnoment? Let's fine everyone with an oil spot on his driveway $500 plus clean up costs.
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A very small percentage of people dump motor oil on the ground. 95+% of smokers don't even think about throwing their butts on the ground.

But if you don't like the fine, how about a $1 per butt deposit instead? You pay an extra $20 for your cigarettes but it's refundable if you return all the butts to the point of purchase.
 
one time i was in a friend's car when she threw a butt out the window.

i ask why she doesn't use the ashtray in her car, and she says that she hates stinking her car up with that trash.

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