New York poised to ban smoking in Central Park, Times Square - Polidicks

[url=http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2011/0203/New-York-poised-to-ban-smoking-in-Central-Park-Times-Square] Christian Science Monitor[/url] [img]http://www.csmonitor.com/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/images/0203-times-square-smoking/9528540-1-eng-US/0203-Times-Square-smoking_full_600.jpg[/img] [release]The air in Central Park, the green refuge at the heart of Manhattan, is going to be even fresher under a new city law that will make it harder for the city’s smokers to find a place to puff away. The new law, which bans smoking at city parks and beaches and was passed by the City Council on Wednesday, will make New York one of the best places in the world for nonsmokers or one of the toughest on smokers, depending on your point of view. Ninety days after Mayor Michael Bloomberg signs the bill into law, smoking will also be illegal in such places as the pedestrian mall in Times Square and on the boardwalk and beach at Coney Island. Violators could be punished with $50 fines. The city already bans smoking in bars and restaurants, a move that was followed by scores of other cities. And, smokers in the city pay the highest taxes in the nation – $5.85 a pack. “New York City has been a leader on smoke-free issues and a lot of other cities will follow,” says Bronson Frick, associate director of Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights in Berkeley, Calif. “What happens in New York tends to spread around the world.” The California Legislature passed a bill early in 2010 banning smoking at state parks and beaches, but it was vetoed last May by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. According to Mr. Frick’s organization, a national advocacy group, there are already 478 towns and cities, plus the entire Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, that ban smoking in their parks. Smoking on beaches is also banned in Puerto Rico, Maine’s state parks, and in 102 municipalities, though many are small towns. New York will be the largest city to ban both. “It is in line with making more livable communities and helping insure that these green spaces dedicated to active living be smoke free,” says Frick. The rationale for making the beaches smoke-free, he says, is to prevent pollution. “There is a lot of research that the cigarette butts are highly toxic to aquatic creatures,” he says. “It is not just all about second-hand smoke.” Tough laws' impact New York’s tough antismoking laws have had an effect, say nonsmoking advocates. Nationally, according to the Centers for Disease Control, 20.6 percent of adults and 19.5 percent of high school students say they smoked in 2009. In New York, 15.8 percent of adults smoked in 2009 and only 8.4 percent of high school students. “New York’s numbers are well below the national rates because New York has implemented a comprehensive and aggressive approach that includes high taxes and hard-hitting antismoking campaigns,” says Vince Willmore, a vice president at the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids in Washington. He notes that Mayor Bloomberg has been one of the leaders in the antismoking efforts. “The mayor is a tough guy,” he says. Despite the city’s efforts, however, there are still 1 million smokers on the streets, according to the city’s Health Commissioner, Thomas Farley. 1 million smokers on city streets Once the city starts to implement its new rules, those smokers will find they are prohibited from smoking in 1,700 city parks and on 14 miles of beaches. The city has also included “pedestrian plazas,” areas located within the bed of a roadway that may contain benches, tables or other facilities for pedestrian use. One of those is in the Times Square area. As he walked through the plaza smoking a cigarette Thursday, a man who identified himself as “Mordecai” said, “Mark me down as unhappy.” Would he obey the rules once they go into effect? “Not likely,” he replied. Only a few blocks away, in Bryant Park, where smoking will also be outlawed, “Ryan” was puffing on a cigarette on his way through the area. He says he would not break the law, but adds, “Do I think it’s fair? No.” 'Smoke-in' at park proposed Audrey Silk, who founded a group called NYC C.L.A.S.H. (Citizens Lobbying Against Smoker Harassment), says she won’t be surprised if smokers ignore the new prohibition. “This is outrageous and uncalled for,” she says. Ms. Silk says she plans on organizing a “smoke-in” at City Hall Park on the effective date, which is likely to be sometime in May. “They have unleashed a monster, people are so angry and asking me to do this.” Silk was equally indignant in 2003 when New York passed its restaurant and bar antismoking rules. She predicted it would result in fewer patrons and the laws would be overturned. “Her predictions of the devastation of New York hospitality industry turned out not to be true,” says Frick who notes even Raleigh, N.C., long friendly to tobacco companies, on Tuesday made smoking in its parks illegal.[/release] Yeah good luck enforcing that.

I can imagine it being hard to enforce such laws. [editline]5th February 2011[/editline] oh shit that's already been said in the op

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8eoEygHyho[/media]

Jeez, just let smokers smoke.

[QUOTE=italics560;27864789]Jeez, just let smokers smoke.[/QUOTE] Why? It is a useless pastime that does nothing except give you a greater chance of getting cancer.

I can understand the ban in enclosed areas, but what's the purpose of this? You could simply, I dunno, walk around people smoking to avoid most of it.

[QUOTE=italics560;27864789]Jeez, just let smokers smoke.[/QUOTE] Too bad they smell like shit and act like such smug cocks about their chemical addiction that kills them.

[QUOTE=Veers;27864814]Why? It is a useless pastime that does nothing except give you a greater chance of getting cancer.[/QUOTE] They probably know that and it's their bloody choice to smoke. [editline]4th February 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=DireAvenger;27864859]Too bad they smell like shit and act like such smug cocks about their chemical addiction that kills them.[/QUOTE] None of the smokers I've met act like that.

[QUOTE=Veers;27864814]Why? It is a useless pastime that does nothing except give you a greater chance of getting cancer.[/QUOTE] [b]I DON'T LIKE THE THING YOU DO SO I FULLY SUPPORT THE GOVERNMENT BANNING YOU FROM DOING IT EVEN WHEN IT POSES NO THREAT TO Me[/b]

[QUOTE=DireAvenger;27864859]Too bad they smell like shit and act like such smug cocks about their chemical addiction that kills them.[/QUOTE] You're generalizing a huge group of people to what end, exactly? If they smell like shit, that's their own problem, isn't it? If they're unwilling to seek help for their addiction, that's their own problem.

[QUOTE=Zeke129;27864926][b]I DON'T LIKE THE THING YOU DO SO I FULLY SUPPORT THE GOVERNMENT BANNING YOU FROM DOING IT EVEN WHEN IT POSES NO THREAT TO Me[/b][/QUOTE] This, this, and a couple more packs of this with a 2 litre bottle of this.

[QUOTE=Zeke129;27864926][b]I DON'T LIKE THE THING YOU DO SO I FULLY SUPPORT THE GOVERNMENT BANNING YOU FROM DOING IT EVEN WHEN IT POSES NO THREAT TO Me[/b][/QUOTE] It's called second hand smoke buddy. Edit: And they aren't banning it, just stopping you from smoking where there are thousands of other people and a park, I mean who the hell wants smokers in a park (besides smokers)?

[QUOTE=Habsburg;27864913]None of the smokers I've met act like that.[/QUOTE] Anti-smokers, on the other hand...

[QUOTE=Veers;27864986]It's called second hand smoke buddy.[/QUOTE] There's a reason it's banned in places like restaurants. If you don't want to inhale second hand smoke, don't frequent a place where the room is filled with smoke. Heyo, look at that logic! Wanna go to that place regardless of the second hand smoke? Don't be such a bitch and deal with it if you really like that certain location.

[QUOTE=Veers;27864986]It's called second hand smoke buddy. Edit: And they aren't banning it, just stopping you from smoking where there are thousands of other people and a park, I mean who the hell wants smokers in a park (besides smokers)?[/QUOTE] Second hand smoke in an open area? You're fooling yourself if you think that minute amount of contact will lead to health complications.

[QUOTE=Veers;27864986]It's called second hand smoke buddy. Edit: And they aren't banning it, just stopping you from smoking where there are thousands of other people and a park, I mean who the hell wants smokers in a park (besides smokers)?[/QUOTE] I've never been to a park where the smoke was literally forced into your lungs due to it's density. Listen, I don't smoke, I'm fully aware of the shit that stuff will do to you, but it's up to the person what they put into their body and if they wanna blow money on a slightly faster death besides old age, fucking let them. Who cares? It will never effect you to the point where it isn't your own damn fault.

What is the rationale behind this?

[QUOTE=Billiam;27865116]What is the rationale behind this?[/QUOTE] They wanted to see how hard they could make a law to enforce.

[QUOTE=Veers;27864986]It's called second hand smoke buddy. Edit: And they aren't banning it, just stopping you from smoking where there are thousands of other people and a park, I mean who the hell wants smokers in a park (besides smokers)?[/QUOTE] This is New York City. Hundreds of thousands of vehicles pass through it every day. I don't think a little smoke will make a difference

Good, no more cigarette butts littering the grass.

[QUOTE=Habsburg;27865317]This is New York City. Hundreds of thousands of vehicles pass through it every day. I don't think a little smoke will make a difference[/QUOTE] I can understand you guy's position, i mean i have my own habits that are hardly that healthy (namely a fondness for mountain dew). That said, second hand smoke has been proven to cause cancer, so while smokers should have the right to do whatever they want, they should only do it where there are no non-smokers imho. So getting it out of times square should be a good thing for everyone who is not a smoker, especially those who have bad allergies such as myself.

Tobacco smoke smells like shit.

This doesn't make sense. How can you stop people from smoking OUTSIDE? Where are they suppose to go, i don't smoke myself but i do have friends that smoke and it's ridiclious that they try and ban smoking outside.

hey guys i live in a city with millions of cars in it pumping out countless tonnes of toxic fumes everyday and- HEY GUYS WHAT THE HELL THAT GUY IS SMOKING GET HIM OUT OF HERE BEFORE HIS EVIL DEATH STICKS KILL ME

[QUOTE=Billiam;27865116]What is the rationale behind this?[/QUOTE] Smells like shit.

[QUOTE=Veers;27864814]Why? It is a useless pastime that does nothing except give you a greater chance of getting cancer.[/QUOTE] You want to make it illegal for a man who works 12 hours a day to take a quick smoke to calm his nerves between breaks? They should keep the laws how they are now, and focus on more important things

[QUOTE=Mingebox;27865882]Smells like shit.[/QUOTE] New York will smell like shit regardless.

[QUOTE=Veers;27864814]Why? It is a useless pastime that does nothing except give you a greater chance of getting cancer.[/QUOTE] PC Gaming

[QUOTE=Veers;27864986]It's called second hand smoke buddy. Edit: And they aren't banning it, just stopping you from smoking where there are thousands of other people and a park, I mean who the hell wants smokers in a park (besides smokers)?[/QUOTE] Jesus Christ, in a huge open area, you can't smell shit.

[QUOTE=Veers;27864986]It's called second hand smoke buddy.[/QUOTE] Second hand smoke outside? Oh no Better ban vehicles too And factories And fire Think for once in your life, then resume posting Actually no never resume posting please