Smoking in parks is a thing of the past in Ansonia, Conn., unless what you’re smoking happens to be an electronic cigarettes or other vapor device.

The city’s Board of Aldermen approved the anti-smoking ordinance at its meeting on Tuesday, but a plea to exempt e-cigarettes fell on receptive ears, according to a report in the New Haven RegisterA pair of city residents told their story of quitting cigarettes with the help of e-cigarettes, and it was that story that convinced the board to leave vaping devices out of the ban.

In addition to smoked tobacco products, chewing and spitting tobacco are also now prohibited. Violators of the ban face a $50 fine should they be caught and cited.

Ansonia has just over 19,000 residents and is located approximately 10 miles west of New Haven.

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.