Posted on 10/18/2007 3:08:02 PM PDT by BradJ
New Smoking Ban Passes In Chicago No Lighting Up At Beaches, Parks, Playgrounds CHICAGO (CBS) ― Smoking is now off limits at beaches, parks and playground in Chicago.
The park district board voted unanimously Wednesday to pass the ban. It takes effect immediately.
The penalty for violating the ban is a $500 fine.
Enforcement relies on citizens to turn smokers in to police.
Proponents of the ban say it's a matter of public health.
"I have a lot of sympathy for smokers, but not when second-hand smoke affects the health of other people," Park District Superintendent Tim Mitchell said.
Proponents also say cigarette butts and filters damage the environment. During a three hour cleanup of city beaches last month, they say they found some 35,000 butts in the sand.
"One small thing we can do, that is not small for people using the beaches, is stop using them as ashtrays," Joel Brammier of the Alliance For Great Lakes said.
A young mother, who often visits city play lots, is all for the ban.
"Especially with a toddler who picks up everything and puts it a lot of times, in his mouth," Susan Sholty said.
Even one smoker CBS 2 talked to goes along with the idea of yet another place he can't light up.
"I don't smoke in front of children. When I walk by children, I cup my cigarette in my hand. I don't want them to see it," Daniel Young said.
Gee isn't that wonderful........ /s
Proponents also say cigarette butts and filters damage the environment. During a three hour cleanup of city beaches last month, they say they found some 35,000 butts in the sand.
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yick. but that’s what you get with a public beach. it turns into a dumping ground
I’m convinced that this is all about the smell of the tobacco smoke that people object. You get more toxic effects from chemicals and cooking byproducts inside people’s homes.
> they say they found some 35,000 butts in the sand.
?? Don’t those people need their butts?
Are things that funny in Chicago?
Did they all laugh their butts off?
Smokers used to be citizens too.
Never mind all of the broken glass from the drunks
which use the beachfront as their bar and dump.
Not that it really matters much, but I'd love to know how they came up with that number. Did they sort the butts from the other trash? If so, why? Or is that just another PDOOMA number?
Well put...
Where have we heard that before?????????????? Nanny State Ping.............
Ping.
*Holding hand in air*
Me! Me! I know the answer!
Nazi Germany?
Your ping wasn’t there when I pinged you. It took about 3 minutes to post the word “ping”.
Enforcement relies on citizens to turn smokers in to police.
Let them. When I light up somewhere and some nazi informant tells me to put it out, I tell ‘em to call a cop. By the time the cops get there, I’m done with the smoke. This $hit isn’t enforceable.
Yes Daniel, hide reality from children. Feel guilt, go ahead. Do it for the children.
Feel better now, Daniel?
Unbelievable. Not the BS that second hand smoke harms anyone, especially outdoors, but unbelievable that such a ridiculous “law” would be passed.
Not even Canada is that bad.
Oh well, it’s almost dark, I think I’ll go burn some old tires...
Because it may effect the children, I want fat people wearing bikinis banned from beaches too.
Exactly. Paper towels, napkins, candy wrappers, Frito bags, soda cans, etc.
I once found the head of a trout with its mouth propped open with a stick. Why sweat the small stuff?
Chicago Brownshirts!
Probably Cubs fans.
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