New York, NY – Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Tuesday that he’s leaning toward banning smoking on New York City beaches and in city parks, a significant reversal in his administration’s stance from a month ago.
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“We’re talking about banning smoking on beaches and in parks,” Mr. Bloomberg said at a news conference. “Overwhelmingly, when you ask people in parks or on beaches, they say they just don’t want smokers there.”
New York City boasts 14 miles of beaches and more than 1,700 parks, playgrounds, and recreation facilities across the five boroughs.
Mr. Bloomberg, who quit smoking years ago and has crusaded to ban smoking in workplaces, said he’s supportive of a potential ban, in part, because of the perils of second-hand smoke but also because many smokers litter beaches and parks with cigarette butts.
The mayor said he’s awaiting a final report from Dr. Thomas Farley, commissioner of the city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, who has been prodding Mr. Bloomberg to support the initiative since last year.
When asked if he’s leaning toward moving forward with the ban, Mr. Bloomberg replied, “I am.”
Last month, Mr. Bloomberg’s press secretary, Stu Loeser, had said banning smoking on beaches and in parks “is not something we’re moving on.” But on Tuesday, Mr. Loeser said the mayor has been given more data and spent time reviewing the information over the last few weeks. Now, he’s thinking seriously about championing the policy change, Mr. Loeser said.
In 2003, Mr. Bloomberg ignited a firestorm of criticism when he successfully persuaded the City Council to ban smoking in bars and restaurants citywide. The controversial measure has since gained widespread acceptance, and Mr. Bloomberg considers it to be one of the greatest achievements of his mayoralty. Over the years, the mayor has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to encourage people worldwide to quit smoking.
If the mayor decides to champion the ban on beaches and in parks, it was unclear Tuesday whether he would move to change the policy through an administrative action or seek City Council approval. The city’s current ban prohibits smoking in playgrounds.
A spokeswoman for City Council Speaker Christine Quinn said she’s open to the ban. Ms. Quinn “looks forward” to holding hearings on the issue, the spokeswoman said.
In New York state, 10 counties have adopted smoke-free policies for their beaches and 34 have adopted smoke-free policies for their parks, said Sheelah Feinberg, citywide advocacy coordinator for the NYC Coalition for a Smoke-Free City. “This is very good public policy,” Ms. Feinberg said.
Audrey Silk, a retired NYPD officer and founder of Citizens Lobbying Against Smoker Harassment, a smokers’ rights group, said the ban is discrimatory.
“This is just an incremental step in the war on smokers,” Ms. Silk said. “It has nothing to do with public health. It’s a public hate campaign.”
Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in New York City, Dr. Farley said. Each year, smoking leads to 7,500 deaths in the city and “that’s more than AIDS, drugs, homicides, suicides combined,” he said.
“There is some level of exposure to second-hand smoke outdoors. The research on this is relatively new, but there is evidence that if you’re within a few feet of a smoker, depending on how the wind is blowing, you can be exposed,” Dr. Farley said. “And most people don’t want their beaches to become ash trays.”
Of course that means more fines
Smoking should be banned not just in park and beaches, but also on sidewalks and outdoor cafes.
Anon 12:03- although I’m anti smoking, don’t you feel banning smoking on sidewalks is a little too far? Where are people supposed to smoke then- in their homes? The chance of illness from second hand smoke will be much greater, it will affect the households of smokers immensely.
If smokers bother you on the sidewalk- cross the street, its that simple!
Smoking should be banned anywhere there is any possibility even a shred of your cancer causing gas will touch my lips or enter my lungs. If you want to mutate your cells into a cancerous blob of tumors, do it on your own time!!!
Go for it Bloomy. I for one am sick of breathing in the foul smell of other people’s filthy habits. Want to kill yourself? Go ahead, do it in the privacy of your own home. Don’t force me to smell it and don’t force my kids to see it.
Smokers’ rights extend from the top of their heads to the bottom of their feet. The second that their cigarette smoke begins to emanate away from them, towards the direction of non-smokers, is where their rights effectively end. There should be a greater crackdown on the tobacco farmers who produce this poison. If we can go to Afghanistan (8,000 miles away) and tell Afghani farmers that they can’t produce any more opium plants, why can’t we tell our own farmers (the southern crackers down south), to stop producing tobacco? Also, there has to be a greater emphasis by the Rabbanim to keep reminding their congregants about the dangers of using tobacco.
i’m with bloomy on this one. and our Rabbanim should definitely emphasize the “chamura sekanta me’issura” part. according to some, doing something that’s a sakana (even to yourself) is an anaf of Loi Tirtzach!!!
drinking alcohol shuold be subject to the same rules and taxes as cigarettes
It’s a no brainer to ban them.
Another ban. Another freedom ripped from my hands. Enough is enough. This is my world too. Anyone of you who is for this stupid ban & drives a car, ya’ll are a bunch of mindless hypocrites.
Smokers keep talking about freedom, yet they seem to easily disregard how much their smoking in public infringes on the freedom of others.
“People don’t like smoking because it smells.”
That is only part of the reason. Let’s pretend for a moment though that cigarette smoke isn’t a health risk. It is still an irritant though, and something that 80%+ of the population dislikes(actually well over 80% since many smokers have a great dislike for the second hand smoke of others). Based on this alone, smoking should be banned in the presence of others. Factor in the health risks as well, and there is no reason whatsoever to tolerate smoking in the presence of others.
Smokers should smoke at home(only if others aren’t around), in desolate areas with no others around, and in smoking bars that have high quality air filtration systems.
Comparing smoking to drinking makes no sense, since someone drinking does not irritate or endanger others(unless they drive while intoxicated, or start a fight as a result of their being intoxicated).
the only way to smoke is if you are on a bike.
bikers have all the rights nowadays.
all smokers unite and bicycle thru the streets while puffing in teh bike lanes