Councilors Propose Smoking Ban At Boston Parks

February 9, 2011 8:53 AM

Filed under

Health, Heard On WBZ NewsRadio 1030, Local, News, Politics, Watch + Listen

Featured Gallery

May Is Asthma Awareness Month: Celebrities With Asthma

For more trusted health

news and information,

visit CBS Boston's

BOSTON (CBS) – Two Boston city councilors are considering a proposal that would ban smoking in public parks and beaches in the city.

Councilor Salvatore LaMattina has filed an order for a public hearing on the proposal, which is co-sponsored by Councilor Felix Arroyo. Both men suffer from asthma and have been working with Boston’s asthma task force.

The plan bounces off a similar ordinance passed in New York City this month.

“I saw this happen a few times in a park where somebody lights up a cigarette and the person next to them has to move,” LaMattina said.

“My concern is the second hand smoke. Second hand smoke kills. I want to be sure that when people go to a park or a beach or public space, that is a smoke-free environment.”

Councilor Salvatore LaMattina speaks with WBZ NewsRadio 1030′s Ed Golden

The proposal would allow smoking on public sidewalks.

LaMattina and Arroyo plan to unveil their idea to ban smoking in Boston parks and beaches at Wednesday’s Boston City Council meeting.

Any official action on the plan would be months away.

Councilors Propose Smoking Ban At Boston Parks

sickofit

This is a fantastic idea. I truly hope with all my heart this comes to pass.

Dr. Bombay

Welcome to OmeriKa … you must be very proud.

http://911essentials.com
Irish67

I agree. I can only hope and pray that the government fills in the remainder of the gaps in our personal choices. There are often days I’m not sure of what to wear or what to eat. I hope they can legislate those choices too so we can all dress and eat alike and wont have to worry about seeing someone do something that isnt universally approved of.
Ryan Burke

You have to be a highly unusual person to hope with all your heart on something like this. Imagine if you applied yourself to something worthwhile. Think of all of the REALLY cool freedoms you could help get banned.

gramps

It’s easy to pick on the few smokers that society has left, they’re defenseless ….

Do the tough & productive thing that affects everybody in the city, hand held cell phone use while driving is akin to….. ‘DRUNK DRIVING”!

Using a hand held cell phone while driving ‘KILLS & MAIM’ more people & causes more property damage in the city than a few ‘butts’ do…..

“Smokers are short term problem, they’re a ‘DIEING BREED’

gramps….PS

How to enforce hand held ban:

1) Officer observes the ‘Offense’ & notes the time of day & if possible use’s his/her dash-cam to memorialize the offense & offender.

2) Pulls the Offender over. Asks for & receives the cell phone #, then verifies it by calling the given # to see if the offenders phone rings…

3) If necessary, for court purposes, cell phone records will be will be subpoenaed, they’ll show the dates & time of day the phone was in use. This will prove the ‘Motorist’ guilty or innocent.

4) If the Motorist refuses to surrender his/her cell phone #, they shall/should be treated as if they, ‘REFUSED THE BREATHALYZER’!

Drew

Smokers are not defenseless…..it is a personal choice. I used to smoke and I am all for this….I would rather see more action in regards to throwing the butts everywhere and no respect for the cost to clean them, the trash from the packs and the foil people toss as well. Not all but, almost every smoker I see in downtown throws their butts on the ground or in the street.
Why should I after quitting on my own, be subject to the socially lacking manners of public smokers? I walk down the street and 90% of the people are smoking. I get the awesome privilege of being behind and having to breathe that in….on the beach and in the park in summer it is horrible.
I agree that Cell phone should be banned from any driving at all.
The drinking issue in the city, that will always be around while the MBTA shuts down while the city is still open.

BC

“Why should I after quitting on my own, be subject to the socially lacking manners of public smokers? I walk down the street and 90% of the people are smoking. I get the awesome privilege of being behind and having to breathe that in”

Unbelievable. First you infringe property rights, by instituting smoking bans on indoor private property, forcing smokers out to the curb like a bunch of animals. Then you actually have the gall to complain about them being out there?

Are you KIDDING me? Guess what — they wouldn’t all be standing out there on the sidewalk, getting in your way, if you hadn’t taken it upon yourself to dictate how “workplaces” must be operated.

When you step back and look at it, it really is stunning that this is America. All you little human beings, running around trampling on the liberty of the other little human beings, trying to choreograph some perfect society with no regard for freedom or rights. And you don’t even see anything wrong with it. It doesn’t hit you, on the deep fundamental level where it should hit you, how you’re destroying the ONE thing — individual liberty — that was supposed to make this place different from everywhere else in the world.
Bruce_Almty

When the progressive socialists ban cheeseburgers you can say “I use to eat cheeseburgers.” Need we say more?
Cynic

Non-Smokers are Sick people.
Cynic

Drew…90% of people on the street are smoking? Looks like your bans have not been very effective.
RD

Drew,
90% of the people on the street are smoking? And most of those are littering their butts and trash.

Um…yea, right.
barneyg

You gotta love reformed smokers. Because they quit. it is now the worst thing happening on the planet. Shut up and let me have my smoking. I dont want to ban your smelly arm pits do i? well maybe if they are bad enough.

Kysaedpo

Smoking kills more people than anything else combined

bubbagyro

Yeah, if you live in the Twilight Zone.
Doh! What a DB.
Jekyll Isle

Really more than anything else?
“The adverse health effects from cigarette smoking account for an estimated 443,000 deaths, or nearly one of every five deaths, each year in the United States”

So what you are saying is that only 886,000 people die each year since smoking kills the most than anything else combined.

Morons like you shouldn’t be allowed to own computers
Cynic

B.S.
okemzrazer

Do a few Googles on obesity related deaths and get back to us.
RD

Provide some statistics, Ky, or that comment is nothing more than pure biased opinion of little significance.

Mr S

Dear Gramps,
Where did you come from , it’s like you went to the university of Nazi Germany, class of 1930 . You can take your schemes of making all these laws to make life totally tyrannical .
Wouldn’t it be more civil to require companies to be more innovative to eliminate the need to even have to hold devises , so everything is verbal controlled.
Also most kids have problems with misuse of phones while in a car.

gramps

Mr.S, it’s always somebody else’s fault…..’You blame the ‘PHONE’!…..

Nobody takes responsibility for their actions today……You read like a typically progressive, MACS type, ‘helicopter parent’…..

Kids/Children should not be driving a car……”ADULTS SHOULD”

gramps

Robert Moschetti

Well it looks like I will have to start smoking again just so I can break these very unconstitutional laws that nanny state do-gooders keep trying to impose on us. I can not speak for anyone else but I sure look forward to becoming an outlaw and a founding father of the new Republic.
http://topsy.com/boston.cbslocal.com/2011/02/09/councilors-propose-smoking-ban-at-boston-parks/?utm_source=pingback&utm_campaign=L2 Tweets that mention Councilors Propose Smoking Ban At Boston Parks « CBS Boston — Topsy.com

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Drudge Report, Vince Humphreys, Drudge Siren, MarKng, The Window Man and others. The Window Man said: RT @Drudge_Report: Now Boston Considers Smoking Ban In Parks, Beaches… http://drudge.tw/fqkRFy [...]
annmarie

I love this. I wish it would be done everywhere nationwide. Better yet get rid of the damn things all together. Nothing good comes of them. Nothing! Well it does keep some people employed. I can’t tellyou how many times i’ve breathed in smoke in my car from someone in front of me in traffic or.walking ahead of me or right next to no smoking signs outside of buisnesses. I so want to say “dude i really don’t want to share your cigarette!” But then i would probably be the rude one. Im not sick with anything just sick of it!

Drew

Well said! It is even worse when you go to eat! People congregate in the doorway for crying out loud! Get rid of it completely!

Bruce_Almty

and get rid of those dammed restaurants making all that fattening food……. Oh, not to worry, we have Michelle working on destroying the food industry.
Cynic

Drew maybe you and Annmarie should get together and start your own little Non-Smoking Country. Of course it would be only a matter of time before you both find something that the other does that should be BANNED>

Ryan Burke

Hey AnnMarie – shut your window. Should we ban Indian food if you don’t want to share the curry smell? What else should we ban in the United States of AnnMarie?
Bubba Heinz

but doesn’t your car have a tailpipe that blows toxic fumes into other people’s mouths? Sound pretty hypocritical to me.
Worried Human

How about this, you could give up your car that is contributing to the death of the planet with its O2 emissions and walk, which will make you healthier?

Or, you could just shut your D A M N mouth… I would prefer the ladder.

Edgy Old Dude

How tall should that ladder be?
Worried Human

Good catch Edgy, it’s late in the day and I need more coffe. And to answer your question, about 10 … yea, 10 or 11 feet should do it.
Cynic

Oh C-mon Edgy Old Dude…..Even I know that He/She meant Latter.

Cynic

Annmarie….Really now…Smoke from the car in front of you? What Planet are you from? As I’ve said;Non-Smokers are sick people…..Some are delusional as well.
RD

annmarie,
You’re not only the rude one, you’re a self-serving moron. Your way or no way, right Miss Communist?
barneyg

Look why dont you people that want a police state go and remake nazi germany on some other planet and leave me and all the other people who do value the freedom to turn the knob on the radio to a different station alone.
Bob S

Seig Heil! Annmarie! What other groups of American Citizens would
you like to see persecuted?

Bobbie Huffman

Concerning cell phones, what kind of thinking is this where the police have a right to demand a cell number and if the records show activity during certain times the person is guilty. Welcome to prision U.S.A. Comrade
Jon24

Pathetic! Boston is becoming a complete PC joke! What’s next on the list, texting while walking, talking while eating, singing to the radio???
Scott Augé

Just what we need, the system creating more criminals. (I am a non-smoker.)
Ryan Burke

I think they should ban fatty foods in public parks and streets as well. Being fat kills more people than anything else. It drives up the cost of healthcare. It’s also addicting and targeted at children. I don’t have kids but if I did I wouldn’t want some inconsiderate fatty eating donuts in front of my kids and jeopardizing them with second hand cholesterol.

Jekyll Isle

Nice
RHD

That’s the ticket, Ryan!!! Have the government tell us what we can eat and control EVERY aspect of your lives.

Moron…

http://gayzetteblog.com/2011/02/09/daily-briefs-wednesday-february-9-2011/ Daily Briefs: Wednesday, February 9, 2011 « gayzette – Denver's Gay News and Entertainment Source.

[...] Boston is considering a smoking ban in parks and beaches in the city. Really? [...]
Mark G

I am an ex-smoker. What I find more offensive than cigarette smoke is the stench of self-righteousness exuded by these anti-smoker activists.
Earl Flemm

the ciggarette Nazi’s are at it again
LibsAreCommies

What is it with these LibCommies? It’s one thing after another.
This is proof that their whole secondhand smoke lie was just a vehicle for further behavior controls.
Much more harmful to society is secondhand Liberalism. That’s what we need to ban.

fishbone

second hand liberalism–great tweak

Ryan Burke

How would Felix feel if we banned patchwork beards? http://felixarroyo.com/

Armed Texan

If you can prove they cause measurable harm to others then I say go for it. Until then, Google “straw-man” and learn something about how dumb you sound.

Ryan Burke

Why don’t you start with proving that OUTDOOR second hand smoke has ever, EVER caused harm to a significant part of the population?

For starters, prove that outdoor second hand smoke has caused more harm than automobiles for…
1. pollution
2. hitting pedestrians
3. killing people in cars

If you can prove that then you will have the right to start making straw man accusations. If you cannot, then my analogy holds.
RD

Actually, your analogy outright sucks.

Donato

Does that incude marjiuana???

Worried Human

No, it’s still legal to smoke marjiuaman in public, don’t worry, go light up.

Bruce Baker

Those nasty smokers! What’s best for everyone is obviously what we should do, even if it deprives them of their rights!

Now that I think about it, it’s also obvious to me that everyone would be better off if we would only kill certain people. We could use solar powered ovens to dispose of the corpses. Go Green! Zeig Heil!

Armed Texan

You do not have the right to destroy the freedom of others. What about my right to breathe air not polluted with your garbage? Oh that’s right, only you smokers have rights.

Ryan Burke

What else should we ban for your “freedoms”? Do you not like the smell of barbecue? Maybe we should ban those. What about home fireplaces? What about cologne? My freedom to not smell your cheap deoderant brand mandates that you switch to whomever is lobbying the gov’t!
RD

Armed Texan,
That’s the best argument you can come up with?

Does your mommy know you’re posting on an adult board?

Cynic

Hey Non-Smokers… Read the comments. Your day has passed..You have LOST.

Worried Human

Hey Cynic, read the com… STFU!
Rick

I can just imagine Cynic.. Yellow Teeth, smelling like smoke all the time.. Smoke in his/her skin.. NASTY…

Cynic

Rick… My Grandfather died in 1941 and to this day I miss the smell of his pipe.

Hank Warren

Out-of-control gov’t regulations, yet another violation of our rights. Add it to the list of gov’t violations of our right:
They violate the 1st Amendment by placing protesters in cages, banning books like “America Deceived II” and censoring the internet.
They violate the 2nd Amendment by confiscating guns.
They violate the 4th and 5th Amendment by molesting airline passengers.
They violate the entire Constitution by starting undeclared wars for foreign countries.
Impeach Obama and sweep out the Congress, except Ron Paul.
(Last link of Banned Book):
http://www.iuniverse.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?BookId=SKU-000190526
LoachDriver

This is an instance of the nanny state has run amuck.

Although I quit smoking many years ago & have a “No smoking”
sign posted on my front door, can’t see it’s anyone else’s business if someone chooses to smoke out-of-doors.

Armed Texan

Your argument makes no sense. It’s absolutely my business if I’m forced to breathe second-hand smoke. Should the government also permit unabated dumping of toxic waste on public beaches?

Ryan Burke

They should ban all bad smells that Armed Texan doesn’t want to be “forced” to smell. They should clear out homeless people so you aren’t “forced” to see them as well. Their right to walk the streets ends where your right to not see them begins! Let them hang out in their private property!
Armed Texan

Congratulations Ryan Burke! You just created the weakest straw-man argument ever!
RD

Armed Texan, YOU are a first class example of an idiot.

Kendrick1

Don’t you guys know?? Secondhand smoke is now passe. We now have thirdhand smoke!!! Unintended consequence of abating smoking–elimination of taxes on cigarettes and how to replace them. This goverment interference just never stops!! Read the story of the camel, the arab and the tent and you’ll find out when it stops!!
Pandoral

By this same ideology, it should be illegal to fart in public (methane gas), drive a gas burning automobile in public (pollution and gas emissions) and possess or pop a helium filled baloon in public. Where does it stop?
Worried Human

Daniel Tosh is a DB
Pandoral

Also, should it be legal to place a tax on cigarettes with the intent to disuade citizens from smoking? What if that tax were to be raised to $100 Million per pack of cigarettes: should it still be legal, despite the obvious discrimination agains lower income families?

SHAME

HOW IS THAT DISCRIMINATION!??! THEY ARE HELPING LOW INCOME FAMILES KFIGHT THE DISEASE OF SMOKING BY MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM TO SMOKE!! DO YOU WANT THE LOW INCOMES TO SPEND ALL THEIR MONEY ON CIGS AND THEN GET LUNG CANCER THEY CANT AFFORD TO TREAT!? SHAME ON YOU!

MsOceanCity

C’mon all you smokers and give the PV(aka:personal vaporizer/electronic cigarette)a try! It will save your life, won’t harm others and isn’t included in most smoking bans.
dave

I plan on smoking the cheepest cigars I can find and smoking upwind.. Trans fat, salt, smoking….soon they will want to tell you what doctors you can see…….mmmmmm. I see a pattern.
Boston where the shot heard round the world was ………..

You guys want Mayor Mike back?