The Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board is likely to consider a proposal to create a complete ban on tobacco use and smoking at its next meeting on June 4, as at-large Park Board Commissioner John Erwin and District 2 Commissioner Jon Olson have announced plans to introduce the proposal.

The ban will have language that includes e-cigarettes as well as marijuana use, should the latter eventually become legalized in the state, as well as the use of tobacco products, whether smoked or otherwise consumed. It expands an existing ban that prevents smoking within 50 feet of youth sports fields and within 100 feet of park buildings, playgrounds and pools.

Erwin told The Journal that the ban could include a $50 fine, but that isn’t set in stone. Should the ban pass without objection, it is scheduled to be in place by Labor Day.

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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.