City leaders in Portland, Ore. have been discussing the idea of a parks smoking ban for some time now, with the city’s park board exploring the idea since May 2014 and a citizen advisory committee recommending one in December. This Wednesday, the city will hold a public hearing on the idea as the lead-up to a city council vote on the matter scheduled for Feb. 18.

The policy would cover all tobacco products, both smoked and non-smoked, as well as electronic cigarettes, hookahs and marijuana. It would extend to all city parks, trails and recreation areas, while city-owned golf courses would have to apply for a permit to allow smoking.

Should the council approve the proposed ordinance, it would begin July 1. Violators would be cited with a misdemeanor and could be subject to expulsion from a park should they refuse to comply with the ban.

The hearing is scheduled for 3:15 pm on Wednesday, Feb. 13 at Portland City Hall.

Portland is Oregon’s most populous city, with a population of nearly 610,000 people. The Portland metro area numbers more than 2.3 million residents.

Avatar photo

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.