The city of Whiteville, N.C. has passed a ban on smoking and the use of tobacco and e-cigarettes and vaping products in city parks and on city property, as well as within city-owned vehicles as part of a program to better the health of its citizens.

People found to be violating the smoking ban will face a civic penalty of up to $50 though they would not be subject to paying court costs.

The ban went into effect immediately upon its passage.

Whiteville is home to approximately 5,400 residents and is located in the southeastern corner of the state, 150 miles southeast of Charlotte.

Avatar photo

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.