No butts about it — Portage has expanded the state’s smoking ban at restaurants and bars to all 17 of its public parks, according to the Kalamazoo Gazette.
The Portage City Council voted 5-2 on Tuesday to extend the current ban on smoking in the Ramona Park Beach area to “include all playground and picnic shelters throughout the city.” The intent is to prevent children from experiencing second-hand smoke.
An earlier proposal recommended a smoking ban up to 25 feet from Portage park locations, but was deemed too difficult to interpret. Some argue the newest proposal, which was passed, is also difficult to enforce, especially since smoking is legal and taxes on tobacco generate revenue for Michigan, which needs all the help it can get.
Several folks have weighed in on the story on the Kalamazoo Gazette’s fan page, saying the following:
Jeff Dykhuis: “We need to ban fireplaces, fireworks, leaf burning and anything else that produces smoke that might drift over their way then, heaven forbid their snobby noses smell anything.”
Scott Lethiot: “Good for Portage. Being outside doesn’t automatically mean smoking won’t bother others. On your own property, smoke if you want.”
So now it’s your turn to weigh in: Is this smoking ban necessary… or just plain crazy? Do you think the city will be able to enforce it?
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Photo credit: jphilipg
This post is brought to you by the fine folks at Paragon Apartments, offering apartments across Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky, and the Paragon Patio, where residents connect. We’d love to talk with you on Facebook and Twitter!
