The smoking ban in San Antonio, Texas grew a bit this week, as the city council voted on Thursday to extend it into three high-traffic areas: Travis Park, the Main Plaza and the area surrounding San Fernando Cathedral. The ban will go into effect after a ten-day period following the vote.

The city has already banned smoking in a number of places, including outside all city buildings, at the city zoo, in outdoor arenas/stadiums as well as within 20 feet of bus stops and other public transportation stations.

Just as with the current law, first time violators can be hit with a $200 fine, with repeat violations costing more. The ban does not extend to electronic cigarettes and vaping devices, however, according to MySanAntonio.com.

With a population of just over 1.43 million people, San Antonio is the seventh most populated city in Texas.

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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, the G-League's Valley Suns, 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.