The NYC City Council has just voted to expand the ban on smoking to all city parks, beaches and outdoor public areas and Mayor Bloomberg will support it. Violators will receive a $50 summons.

So far the growing bans, along with the high price of cigarettes due to huge taxes, have resulted in significant drops in number of people smoking - and made life more pleasant for most New Yorkers.

Great news. Will be interesting to see how actively it is enforced.

nanny nanny poo poo to all of the smokers out there.

You smelly littering losers

They have announced that it will not be enforced by the police- since they do have more serious crimes to deal with. But it will be actively enforced by park rangers and other parks employees (who will be there much more often than the police anyway).

I still know a cool bar in NYC that you can smoke, eat, drink INSIDE... Circa Tabac in SOHO.!!!

There are a FEW "Cigar bars" that have been specially licensed to allow smoking - the TABAC tells you that. And staff and patrons know this - and presumably go there just to smoke. But the rest of us can be sure of clean air - and now at last outside places where lots of people, esp kids, sit - everyplace else.

Definitely great news.

I read that the ban will include Times Square. I assume that refers not all of Times Square but to the newly created sit-down areas there and further south.

Very good news. Kudos to all those in NYC who had a part in making this happen. My trips there are sure to be more enjoyable now and I only hope more cities adopt this policy.

vjpblovesitaly - come on don't hold back, tell us how you really feel about smokers.

This is another "lets control the populace" from our King!

King Bloomberg has spoken!

I have not or will not ever, ever smoke. I hate smoking.....but c'mon, Banned in the PARKS AND BEACHES!

NYC you elected him now you have to live with THE KING!

Trans fats.....banned, Salt..on its way out. Now outdoor smoking banned.

I feel sorry for the poor schmuck who justs wants a butt, a newspaper and a cuppa to make his day on a park bench!

From someone who lives in a city that has only had bans on smoking in restaurants and public spaces for a few years, not many .. I think this is fabulous.
The thing about parks and beaches .. too many smokers toss still lit cigarettes on the ground, rather than putting them out and throwing them away ..
Smoking is a dirty habit and it tends to spread its unpleasantness to those who don't smoke, like children. So I am sending big congrats to the people of NY !

To all those people who think that this is great, just remember:

"First they came for the communists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me."

I don't smoke and don't especially like being anywhere near people who are smoking. But I realized the more you let the government control, the more that they want to control.

It's real easy to give away other peoples' rights to do things that you don't do anyway. But that kind of self-centeredness will get you eventually. It is amazing that people just don't seem to get this simple fact.

I can live with a less than perfect world, by my personal standards, if it means keeping the government off my back.

Come on bmw, it was the City Council that proposed the new bans and Bloomberg will support. Good for him. We've had those restrictions here in California for a long time and for good reason. i agree with Shandy, more cities should follow suit.

Hey throwing cigarette butts on the floor is called "Littering" I am for fining people for littering.

The city councilmen are way out of line.

Hey, I remember smoking on airplanes, not that were crazy bad, but, people, we are talking OUTSIDE IN OPEN AIR! CENTRAL PARK!

Think outside smoking is bad, what about all the TAXI's spewing fumes, can we ban all but electric cabs!

Once again let’s hear from the smokers in NYC. What are you going to do?

-john

Oh please, you can smoke... no one is taking away your "freedom" to smoke.
They are just altering the your freedom to smoke, to accomodate the people and children who do not smoke and have the same rights as you do.

>

My advice would be to quit. Save the money you'd spend for a great trip and become healthier, as well as respecting the health of others. I'm an ex-smoker and really enjoyed smoking but I got over it and I'm glad I did.

Fumes from cars are more carcogenic than second hand cigarette smoke. I can't breath easy in NYC due to diesel fumes not cigarette smoke.
1roper - I agree.

Giovanna, I don't think smoking is banned in public parks and beaches in California (wish it were!)

http://articles.sfgate.com/2010-05-0...and-parks-veto

It isn't Bloomberg - it was the city council. And the idea is to ban smoking in areas where people, esp kids, sit down for long periods of time - parks, beaches, plazas etc - so we don't all have to deal with the smoke and the stink.

People can still smoke walking on the street - if they want to for whatever reasons.