Smokers in Fort Smith, Ark. could soon lose the ability to smoke in the city’s parks, as yesterday the city’s Parks and Recreation Commission approved a ban on the use of all tobacco products in parks, citing both health and litter concerns.

The move does not making smoking in parks illegal, at least yet. It must first gain the approval of the city’s Board of Directors, which next meets on Feb. 21 though it is unclear if the item will make it onto that meeting’s agenda. Additionally, the proposed ordinance includes a requirement that entities renting parks for public events may provide designated smoking areas as long as they also provide trash receptacles in those areas.

According to a report by SWTimes.com, violators of the ban would face a maximum fine of $25 for a first offense, $50 for a second offense, $100 for a third offense and $250 for any subsequent offenses.

Fort Smith is home to just over 88,000 residents, making it the second largest city in Arkansas.

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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.