On Wednesday, the city of Aiken, S.C. announced a new tobacco-free policy for its parks that will go into effect on June 1.

The use of tobacco in any form, as well electronic cigarettes and similar devices, will be prohibited from being used in all city parks. The city is scheduled to begin installing signs in the coming weeks advising park users of the new policy. Violators would be subject to ejection from a par should they refuse to comply with the policy.

Aiken is located in the southwestern part of the state and is home to just over 30,000 residents.

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Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for MLB.com, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.