Park Smoking Ban Back on the Table in Claremont, N.H.

Less than three months after a previous attempt to implement a park smoking ban was decried as being “overkill,” a revised proposal is back on the table in Claremont, N.H. and has already garnered significant support from the city council after one reading.

The revised proposal would still ban smoking in city parks but would allow for designated smoking areas

At its first reading on August 27, the proposal received an 8-1 vote of support, with Councilor Kyle Messier voting against the proposal since it didn’t provide enough distance around designated smoking areas, City Manager Guy Santagate told the New Hampshire Union Leader. Currently, the proposal, which is not available for review on the city’s website, establishes a minimum of five foot buffer between the designated smoking areas and entrances, exits or walkways of any building or other area open to the public.

The ban is scheduled to get its second reading at the council’s Sept. 10 meeting. If it is approved, it would go into effect immediately and carry fines of $50 for the first offense, $100 for the second and $200 for the third, according to VNews.com.

Claremont is home to just over 13,000 residents.

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 Major League Baseball, 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.