Full Smoking Ban in Parks Stubbed Out by Bloomberg

Yesterday Mayor Bloomberg stepped back from a plan to make smoking in public parks and beaches illegal, cautioning that the proposal would stop short of completely outlawing smoking on Parks Department property. Bloomberg boasted at a press conference, "Nobody is more of a believer in saving lives and stopping smoking. In fact, we already ban smoking, for example, in playgrounds." However! "There's also the practical aspect of how we can enforce it. Our Police Department has enough to do. They can't be going around giving tickets." Not with all those photographers and superheroes on the loose, anyway. The mayor explained that the ban would not cover entire parks, only select areas where large crowds might gather. He also acknowledged that if you, the embattled smoker, are "sitting in the middle of Sheep Meadow and you’re the only one there, are you doing any damage to anybody other than killing yourself? Probably not." At the same time, Bloomberg reaffirmed his tough anti-smoking stance: "Make no mistake about it. This city is not walking away from our commitment to make it as difficult and as expensive to smoke as we possibly can." So smoke 'em while you can still (barely) afford 'em.

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By John Del Signore in News on September 16, 2009 12:31 PM

Comments [rss]

JackoPaidOffVictims

Have you ever read the cigarette patents?

I'd recommend checking them out and then you can try telling me how products made with benzene, nuclear waste & other dangerous chemicals don't cause cancer.

400,000 people a year die from cigarettes.

Rocknrope

Noone read your comment.

longacre

Our Police Department has enough to do. They can't be going around giving tickets.
Wouldn't Parks Dept. enforcement agents be responsible for this? Handing out tickets is the only reason they exist.

whitecastlerock

King Bloomberg was in good spirits yesterday and decided to let the commoners smoke outdoors once again. Remember; Progress not Politics...

babyhitler

that is an amazing and thought provoking ad.

LICer

And next, no cursing in public parks. It's too damaging to the pysche of little children.

Casey

And this is why I am voting against Bloomberg.

longacre

Good luck with that.

verbal

7-stole my thunder!

Rocknrope

Can someone please photomash that cigarette-dick with Bloomie's pic in his banner ad? Thanks.

tblake

You can also roll your own cigarettes which is MUCH cheaper and maybe safer depending on what tobacco you're using.

ak

that 'think with your penis' image is almost as disturbing as the ban in question.

BettyConfetti

Instead of more stringent smoking bans, they should fine for littering cigarette butts. The run-off from the rain, especially this year, is the real public pollutant! By creating more awareness for this it will hopefully become a social faux-pas to throw your butts on the ground.

JackoPaidOffVictims

I agree too. Fine people that litter. Cigarette smokers are among the most prolific litterers.

$1000 fines for littering will clean up the city quickly.

firewire

i always put my cigarette butts in the garbage. there is no reason not to.

blondeinthecity

I agree. All those butts make the city look so gross! I don't throw my gum wrappers on the ground... and at least in Manhattan there's a trash can on every corner. USE IT, please.