Cig Fines Don't Pay (Much)

Because there really needs to be more fuel added to the smoking ban issue, The Post reports that, in the past year, only $433,185 has been collected from smoking violations. The fine per violation ranges from $200 to $2000 depending on whether there were previous violations or not.

Those against the plan wonder if the fines collected even pay for the 100 people that have enforcing the law, while enforcement officials say that the low number means people are obeying the law.

The Post lets us know that $24 million was collected for sanitation fines, but Gothamist knows that there are more opportunities to fine for littering than there are for smoking. It would be nice if there were some way of comparing the number of bars and smoking violations to the number of potential sanitation violators to its fines.

Gothamist on the smoking ban and its anniversary and affecting businesses.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By tien mao in News on August 18, 2004 9:55 AM

Comments [rss]

Tommy

Ever consider that cigarette cartons are shaped like coffins? So warning labels are not really necessary.

Jefferson

Yes. Smokers violate my rights since the smoke goes into my lungs (which I do not want). We have a dog littering law in which the owner picks up after their dogs...cigarette smoke is no different from dog poop and should be picked up too because it affects other people.

Terry

I have no problems with someone else smoking (free choice). The problem is that the smoke also goes into my lungs. My free choice is to have no cig smoke in my lungs. So smokers violate my rights. Smokers should figure out a way (or get some device) of inhaling all the smoke into their lungs, so the rest of us are not affected. This way they can puff away all they want anywhere they want.