USA / FILE: One week after New York City outlawed smoking in public parks, smokers continue to light up as people offer mixed feelings about the ban

Record ID: 561406

  • Title: USA / FILE: One week after New York City outlawed smoking in public parks, smokers continue to light up as people offer mixed feelings about the ban
  • Date: 1st June 2011
  • Summary: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (MAY 31, 2011) (REUTERS) "NO SMOKING" SIGN INSIDE CENTRAL PARK PEOPLE RIDING BICYCLES PEOPLE JOGGING PEOPLE WALKING PEOPLE SITTING MAN SMOKING "NO SMOKING" SIGN PEOPLE EATING TOURIST, CHARLES THOM, WALKING WITH FAMILY (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHARLES THOM, TOURIST, SAYING: "It's a legal product. I don't smoke, but they should be able to have a designated area probably to smoke. I have kids. I don't want the kids walking through it or anything, but you can't ban something that's legal." (SOUNDBITE) (English) EVA, TOURIST, SAYING: "It's easy for me because I am a non-smoker, yes and I'm not really fair, okay, but for me it's fine, but I think in a park it should be allowed, but not where babies are, but I think it should be allowed in a park." (SOUNDBITE) (English) MOLLY LARRISON, NEW YORKER, SAYING: "Personally, because I have a kid, I am happy with that because people are pretty careless when they smoke sometimes. I feel bad for those who are considerate and polite and don't smoke around children, but not everyone is that way, so they kind of spoil it for the rest of them."
  • Embargoed: 16th June 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Lifestyle
  • Reuters ID: LVA4DKIM1O6BX66V9F9PRQK3MKX
  • Story Text: New Yorkers and visitors offered mixed feelings on Tuesday (May 31) about a new outdoor smoking ban in the city.
    Last week, on May 23rd, New York City took its smoking prohibition outdoors, adding the city's parks and beaches to the list of places where smoking is banned as part of Mayor Michael Bloomberg's campaign to promote healthy habits.
    The ban, which officials hope will prevent problems caused by second-hand smoke, adds to the city's 2003 ban on cigarettes in bars and restaurants.
    The new law will not be enforced by police but by some 200 parks personnel who watch over the city's 29,000 acres of park land and beaches.
    Violators face a $50 (USD) fine but officials say the ban is meant to be largely self-enforcing.
    In New York's Central Park, new signs were posted to warn people not to smoke, but despite the warnings, a few people continued to light up.
    Charles Thom, who was visiting the park with his family, said tobacco is legal and smokers should be allowed to smoke outdoors.
    "It's a legal product. I don't smoke, but they should be able to have a designated area probably to smoke. I have kids. I don't want the kids walking through it or anything, but you can't ban something that's legal," said Thom.
    Austrian tourist Eva, who did not give her last name, agreed.
    "It's easy for me because I am a non-smoker... but I think in a park it should be allowed, but not where babies are, but I think it should be allowed in a park," she said.
    Molly Larrison, who was visiting the park with her son, said, "Personally, because I have a kid, I am happy with that because people are pretty careless when they smoke sometimes. I feel bad for those who are considerate and polite and don't smoke around children, but not everyone is that way, so they kind of spoil it for the rest of them."
    New York's City Council voted in February to broaden the city's smoking prohibitions to cover its 1,700 parks, beaches, boardwalks and pedestrian plazas, such as Times Square.
    In Times Square, Susan Frank, a tourist from Oklahoma supported the new law.
    "I think it's wonderful because smoke not only affects you personally health-wise, but also when you are eating or you're just wanting to sit and talk, have a cup of coffee or something, it just makes it absolutely obnoxious to have smoke blowing in your face," she said.
    New York follows Chicago and Los Angeles, which have already enacted similar bans.
    New Yorkers still can smoke on sidewalks, parking lots, streets and in their homes, although many landlords of rental properties do not allow it.
    Despite the few people who continue to smoke in public spaces, the parks and plazas appear to be cleaner and clear of cigarette butts and other litter left on the street by smokers.
    New York health officials say cigarettes kill more than 7,000 residents a year. City officials also said, in 2002, 21 percent of New York adults smoked and the percentage is now down to 15.8 percent.
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