Boston Moves One Step Closer to Banning Smoking in Public Parks

In a move eerily similar to one New York City made in 2011, Boston is close to enacting a ban on smoking in public parks. Yesterday, the Boston City Council unanimously voted in favor of banning smoking of cigars, pipes, cigarettes and other substances within city parks.

According to Boston Magazine, the ban will affect city cemeteries, parks, golf courses and “other ares that are public space.”

The ban now heads to Mayor Thomas M. Menino, who pushed for the legislation, and the Parks and Recreation Commission.

If adapted, subsection 7-4.14 will carry a $250 fine for anyone who violates the law.

Menino is in his sixth term as mayor and will be retiring on January 1, 2014. The last major restriction in Boston was in 2003 when the city banned smoking in workplaces including bars and restaurants.

Charlie Minato

I am an editor and co-founder of halfwheel.com/Rueda Media, LLC. I previously co-founded and published TheCigarFeed, one of the two predecessors of halfwheel. I have written about the cigar industry for more than a decade, covering everything from product launches to regulation to M&A. In addition, I handle a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff here at halfwheel. I enjoy playing tennis, watching boxing, falling asleep to the Le Mans 24, wearing sweatshirts year-round and eating gyros. echte liebe.