New York City to smokers: Butt out of our parks.
Health Commissioner Thomas Farley announced yesterday he wants to ban smoking in public parks and city beaches as part of a plan to make New Yorkers healthier.
“We don’t think children, parents, when they’re standing at soccer games, should have to be breathing in smoke from the person next to them,” Farley said after unveiling the city’s 10-point plan alongside Mayor Bloomberg.
“We don’t think our children should have to be watching someone smoke.”
The city could outlaw puffing in parks through legislation passed by the City Council or an administrative rule change by the Parks Department, Farley said.
The mayor said his anti-smoking agenda includes glaring, “with not a particularly nice look,” at smokers gathered outside buildings.
“Social pressure really does work,” said Bloomberg, himself a former smoker.
In July, he cast doubt on whether a ban in parks would succeed.
“It would be harder to do, harder to build a consensus, and, generally, I don’t think that, you know, we could get it done,” he told a caller to his weekly radio show.
His spokesman, Jason Post, said a ban across thousands of acres may be logistically impossible.
“But there may be areas within parks where restricting smoking can protect health,” Post said. “We will continue to explore this.”
Other cities, counties and states, including in Utah, Louisiana, Maine and California, have banned smoking in parks.
But in New York City — which has more than 100 parks and 14 miles of beaches — implementing such a ban would be among the most ambitious urban efforts.
Nicotine junkies were fired up over the idea.
“Where are we supposed to go and smoke now?” fumed Anna Borgogni, 18, who was lighting up in Washington Square Park.
“Smoking is a social activity, and parks are a social atmosphere.”
But some nonsmokers breathed a sigh of relief.
“A lot of kids play in parks, and it’s a place to relax,” said NYU student Kelsey Valla, 19. “It’s kind of disgusting when people are smoking here.”