While smokers have been pushed out of the bars ,restaurants and now public parks onto the street, may some of those out there applauding this be reminded that the excessive tax paid to the city and state are subsidizing the parks that smokers are now prohibited from.

I am a non-smoker but if the government REALLY cares about second hand smoke, ban smoking and make cigarettes illegal. They won’t do that because cigarette tax brings in mucho bucks.

this is a stupid law!!! the cars and trucks exhaust is way worse than second hand smoke, NYC just needs the money from tickets!!!

love how communism is slowly making its way into our nyc life…

The lung is muscle, it needs exercise. Smoke up and be strong.

exposing others to your own tobacco smoke is not a constitutional right.

smokers, if smoking means that much to you, go find a place that’s sealed off from the rest of the world, and knock yourselves out. you could all swim around in each others’ smoke like fish in a tank.

you’re in the great minority, and you’re idiots for smoking in the first place. get over it.

Hi to you over there, I agree with the ban they should have it here in the U.K to
We have a ban indoors so you get people outside smoking, not much fun walking through a wall of smoke.

I agree it is annoying to have smoke blown in the air, but forbidding public air for only smokers isn’t right. Smokers don’t have the right to smoke indoors and now in public areas? These laws are completely against smokers and going against “All men are created equal.” This law is the stepping stone to “All men are created equal, but some more equal than others.”

New Yorkers seem to be famous for wanting laws (“D’ere aughta be a law”), as well as being famous for their pride in breaking all those laws. In this case, hizzoner says we shouldn’t expect this law even to be enforced, beyond giving license to scowl at your nieghbors. Petitioning gov’t for grievances has become a part of a game of political affiliation, as each side seeks to bring people under their parties’ umbrellas. It seems people petition for their rights, and the other side demonizes that group, suggesting they don’t deserve those rights (as if that makes those rights null and void)… sort of a witch hunt. So, pick your favorite underdog: smokers, gays, gun owners, immigrants (legal or otherwise)… its a long list. How often is the principle that the government is obliged to protect the rights of all of these people, whether the rights are enumerated or not, ever come up in the debate?

This goes beyond the bounds of supression.Indoor smoking bans are one thing but outdoors is highly questionable. One can’t imagine that smkoking could be any worse than the exhaust fumes that surround the new pedestrian plazas in the middle of Times Square and Broadway.Certainly the parks and beaches are large enough that they could have had smoking permitted/prohibited designated areas.
What’s truly absurd is thecity’s admitting that these new restrictions are as likely to be enforced as jay walking; so why even bothe

All of you smokers are whining about your right to smoke, but have you thunk
of our right to clean air? It’s really annoying to be walking along, enjoying the sunshine, the fresh air, and walk right smack into your damned nicotine wall. It makes the hair on my arms stand right up, my lungs actually ache, and I start to retch. Stop being so damned selfish and have some consideration for your
fellow man. It must be really excruciating to peeps with sinus, allergies, and asthma. Man up, grow up, and have some compassion for the rest of us. smokersodysseycom

Wonder what Bob Dylan’s reaction is to sooo many new laws against people’s freedom’s ! There was a time.

I don’t like the smell of cigarette smoke on or around me but, that does not give me the right to tell someone else what to do. Civil Rights…hello Freedom is the reason our forefathers came to this country in the first place. If you want to live in a country that tells you what to do every second, there are many communist countries that are still in business…. FREEDOM of Speech too !

I can’t stand smoking – second hand smoke included. I tolerate it because i have friends who smoke. What I DO NOT tolerate is mothers and fathers who blatantly smoke around their little children. Pushing baby stroller and puffing on a cancer stick. Give me a break… wait until you are home and child is in bed before you light up.

As far as the argument about the exhaust on cars etc – is that cancer causing? (seriously now – I am asking) Is it right in your face…. are you breathing it in… (for more than a few seconds…)

Again – it is one thing to smoke around adults etc – but to tarnish the lungs of your children because of your filthy habit… not good, selfish and stupid…
I once saw a father zipping his kids’ jacket up at a bus stop while a smoke was i his mouth. I mean PUH-LEEZE! That in itself was absolutely disgusting.

my 2 cents…

@lev – Are you seriously going to retort with an argument so full of holes? While I certainly empathize with smokers needing a place to do so, it should not be at the expense of other’s health and comfort.
Hole#1: Exhaust – how are jogging and sucking in CO2 inter-linked? Either way it happens. Additionally, most state governments have made huge strides to reduce amount of emissions at all levels from autos to industrial plants.
Hole#2: – Eating habits: This is completely irrelevant to the point of these laws. The laws are to protect people from damage that others cause. Most people’s eating habits do not directly impact others as smoking does.
Hole#3: – An occasional drink: Actually, it has been shown that an occasional drink can have health benefits. From such things as heart health, to reduced risks of stroke and age related dementia.

I understand you may have a special agenda as a smoker. I absolutely can empathize. But I’d suggest looking for support within your local government to find solutions such as increasing amounts of designated smoking locations that do not impact non-smokers but are easily accessible to smokers. The last thing I’d want to do is work with someone that really needs a good smoke break. We all need a release and I feel that it is your choice how you find it and respect that. However, I think that if you are to argue your case, it would really benefit you to get your facts straight and rather than point your finger at someone else, find a collaborative way toward a solution.

And I have to run a gauntlet of nasty smokers every time I enter a building. Where is the respect for my rights to clean air? Besides, it’ll be better for business, who won’t be losing all the work time to cigarette breaks!

Really? The strength of your argument decreased dramatically when you cited 4 people who smoked prior to the increased and widespread knowledge of how dangerous cigs actually are. So they really weren’t that “smart or stupid at the same time” like you say. Name some influential people today that currently smoke….right. There’s really no one.

Well, the trash alone from cigaret butts is a big reason to ban smoking at parks and beaches.

Maybe they’ll catch more weed smokers on Rockaway Beach with it’s distinct smell.

The Nannies just can’t stop. They honestly cannot help themselves from “helping” everyone, as they know what is best for us all. Thank you nanny-idiots….I feel SO much safer now.

There needs to be an organization called “Smokers United” or something. These idiotic laws only get passed due to the passivity of the smokers. Even non-smokers should be fed up by now ( except the cry babies who constantly complain about the “cloud” of smoke that they have to walk through on occasion ).

When is enough , ENOUGH? Join the ranks of the non-smokers now and improve your HEALTH! http://stopsmoking.li

This is really getting crazy.. I do agree about people not littering but i always have an ashtray with me when i smoke on the beach and always dispose of my cigarettes. I think they should ban Breastfeeding in public too.. what will be next??

Smoking is disgusting, and smelling the smoke or getting it on your clothes is the worst. The harder they make it to light up, the better.

PEOPLE COMPLAIN ABOUT SMOKING OUTSIDE. TAKE A LOOK AT ALL THE VEHICLE EXHAUST THEY ARE BREATHING. THIS IS JUST A WAY TO GET MORE MONEY IN FINES,. OUR POLICE HAVE BETTER THINGS TO DO THEN HAND OUT TICKETS. LETS WORK ON SOME REAL CRIMES

This law is going to be a lot like prohibition, impossible to obey, and impossible to enforce. The ideal thing is to ban the sale of tobacco products altogether.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt, J. Robert Oppenheimer, Jackie Kennedy, and Marilyn Monroe were four of the most influential people of the twentieth century who smoke cigarettes. I’ll never understand how people can be so smart and so stupid at the same time.