After not being able to come to a compromise about designated smoking area, the West Covina, Calif. City Council decided to make all areas of its 16 parks smoke-free at its most recent meeting.
While a ban passed this spring sought to carve out designated smoking areas, only four parks had such spaces and each was described as being less than ideal. Additionally, creating smoking areas would make it harder for police to enforce, so the city decided to put a blanket ban in place, approving it by a 3-2 vote.
Violators of the ban, which includes both tobacco and alternative nicotine delivery products such as e-cigarettes, will be subject to a $250 fine.
West Covina is located 19 miles east of downtown Los Angeles and is home to nearly 108,000 residents.
