On Tuesday night, the town council of China Grove, N.C. unanimously passed a smoking ban for its five parks and community building, quickly approving it as part of the evening’s consent agenda.

According to the Salisbury Post, no members of the community spoke about the ban, nor did any of the council members. It applies to the use of any lighted tobacco product but does not extend to electronic cigarettes or vaping devices.

The date that the ban goes into effect was not immediately available, but once it does violators could face fines of up to $50 if caught.

China Grove is located in the central part of the state, approximately 35 miles northeast of Charlotte, and is home to an estimated 4,170 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.