It appears that the saga of the parks and beaches smoking ban in Hampton, N.H. may have finally come to a close as voters in the town approved the ban via a ballot measure on Tuesday by a tally of 1,432 to 1,190.

The ban goes into effect immediately, and comes with a first time fine of $100 for anyone caught violating it, with subsequent fines going to $150 and $200. It also extends to the town’s cemetery and other public spaces.

The idea of such a ban dates back to 2017, when residents approved a similar ban, but due to problems with language in the original law it was deemed unenforceable and thus never became law. Last year, the town’s selectmen voted to send the idea back to voters in the most recent election.

Anthony Curro, the resident who spearheaded the ban, told SeacoastOnline.com that he now plans to make a push for the state to ban smoking in its parks.

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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.