A proposal to ban smoking in parks continues to move forward, with Tacoma City Council members requesting modifications to an ordinance being crafted.
Matt Peelen from the City Manager’s Office delivered an update to the Public Safety, Human Services and Education Committee on June 25.
Gig Harbor and Puyallup have banned smoking in parks. Wenatchee is considering one. Public health and fire safety are the primary reasons such bans are enacted, Peelen said.
Some cities include golf courses under smoking bans, others do not. Peelen said the council would need to decide upon this, as well as whether to include parking lots at parks and sidewalks along their perimeter.
The fine in Puyallup is $1,000, although no one has been issued a citation in that city yet. In Gig Harbor it is $100. Lake Stevens has a $124 fine for a first offense, $248 for the second.
Dan Pritchard from Tacoma/Pierce County Health Department said there are several justifications for the proposed ban. These include keeping second-hand smoke away from non-smokers, litter resulting from cigarette butts and keeping children from seeing adults smoke. “Children copy adult behavior,”
Such laws give smokers incentive to give up the habit, he added.
Councilmember Mike Lonergan expressed concern about the growing list, and suggested the real reason behind the proposal is behavior modification
“I would argue most of our laws are some form of behavior modification,” Councilmember Connie Ladenburg said in response.
Lonergan said Councilmember Spiro Manthou would only support a ban on smoking near playgrounds, not for the entire park system.
Lonergan said he feared the city would establish another law that would be difficult to enforce. “Any time we pass a law we do not intend to enforce, it weakens all of our laws,” he remarked. “I wish we were headed in a more reasonable direction.”
Councilmember Marilyn Strickland said it is second-hand smoke, not an incentive to get smokers to stop, that she is interested in. She suggested limiting the ban to places where children play, people gather in groups or where there are venues for events.
“The litter issue is huge,” said Councilmember Rick Talbert, who expressed support for the ban. “This is an opportunity to remind people their habit has an impact on others.”
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