The Pendleton, Ore. City Council opted not to expand the city’s existing smoking ban to include all parks and recreation areas at Tuesday night’s meeting, citing that it would likely be an unenforceable ban.

Currently, smoking is prohibited within 25 feet of all parks shelters, play areas, and structures, a policy that will remain in place.

The expanded ban had garnered the support of the Pendleton Parks and Recreation Commission as well as the Umatilla County Health Department’s tobacco prevention coordinator. As part of the proposal, the idea of a citizen task force who would help enforce the ban, possibly with citations, was discussed and ultimately didn’t sit well with the council.

Pendleton is located in northeastern Oregon, roughly 220 miles east of Portland. It is home to approximately 17,000 residents.

Results of the council’s consideration of the ban was first reported by EastOregonian.com.

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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.