Lodi, Calif. Park Smoking Ban Gets Endorsement

The idea of banning smoking at parks in Lodi, Calif. got a ringing endorsement on Tuesday night as the Lodi Recreation Commission voted 3-0 to present an ordinance seeking to do just that to the city council at an upcoming meeting.

As with many similar bans, cigarette smokers appear to be the ones to blame, as Jeff Hood, the city’s Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services director, told LodiNews.com that it was the volume of cigarette butts left on the ground that spurred the idea for a ban. He added that the butts also end up in the water supply or can be eaten by animals, causing negative effects in each situation.

The ban would also cover the use of electronic cigarettes and marijuana, the latter of which was reported as becoming an increasing nuisance. Lodi currently has a ban on smoking in any city-owned building, as well as numerous public venues including retail stores and restaurants.

While the public was invited to the meeting to comment on the matter, no one showed up to comment on the proposal. Two of the board members were also absent from the meeting.

A date has not been announced for when the ordinance will be presented to the city council.

Lodi is located in California’s central valley, about 85 miles northeast of San Francisco and 35 miles south of Sacramento. It has a 2013 population estimate of 63,338.