A new smoking ban is in place for the beaches, parks and athletic fields of Middletown. R.I., as the town council endorsed the ordinance at its Tuesday meeting and immediately put it into effect, according to ecoRI news.

While the hope is that the ban will be self-policing, the ordinance does provide for violators to be fined $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second offense and $300 for a third violation. Community service, consisting of cleaning up litter in one of the areas where smoking is banned, is also an option for punishment.

Middletown is home to an estimated 16,150 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.