Council Considering Smoking Ban in Borough Parks

At its , will vote on a proposed smoking ban in parks. The ban is the result of a state health department initiative called Young Lungs at Play that has already led to similar laws in nearby towns.

According to the agenda, the council will vote on Ordinance No. 2012-5 following a public hearing:

Council President Van Sciver announces that Borough Council will now open a public hearing to consider adoption of an Ordinance to create tobacco-free zones at public parks.

The ordinance, if enacted, would apply to the three borough parks—, and —plus Randolph Woods but excluding . At its June 5 meeting, the council debated which parks should be included and whether entire parks should be tobacco-free, or just zones near children's play equipment. There was broad support for designating entire parks as tobacco-free zones.

"Me being, obviously, the only smoker on the council, I will find somewhere else to go," council member Zeyn Uzman said.

A member of the audience, a smoker in favor of the ban, told Uzman he could smoke on her porch, across the street from one of the borough parks.