A proposal to ban the use of tobacco products and electronic nicotine delivery devices in the parks, trails, recreational areas and golf courses of Cedar Rapids, Iowa got the endorsement of the city’s Parks, Waterways and Recreation Commission on Tuesday.

The commission voted 9-0 in favor of the proposal according to a report from KCRG-TV, though the matter must ultimately gain the approval of the city council before it can become law. The commission made one change to the proposal before signing off on it: lowering the fine from $100 and possible jail time for violators to $50 and no jail time in an effort to keep police who cite violators out of courtrooms.

Before the full city council will consider the ban, it must now go before the council’s Public Safety and Youth Services Committee, which meets next on June 9.

The nearby city of Marion passed a similar ban in April..

With a population of just over 128,000 people, Cedar Rapids is the second biggest city in Iowa.

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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 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.