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The smoking ban isn't just for bars anymore (well ... yet): The Chicago Park District wants to ban smoking on beaches and in playgrounds, too. And it looks like the plan will be approved by Wednesday, so run over to the playground and start puffing while you still can. The ban isn't just about keeping second-hand smoke away from the kiddies: It's environmental, too. Apparently you can collect 10,000 cigarette butts an hour cleaning up the lakefront, which is really, really gross.
A beach ban has been on the table for a while now, and Mayor Daley's not a fan, claiming it's another instance of over-regulation.
Smoking would still be allowed in "large passive areas" like Grant Park, according to the Park District's spokeswoman.
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When is somebody going to be brave enough to stand up and yell "ENOUGH ALREADY!"
Enough with the cigarette butts on our beaches and playgrounds already!
There.
I'm not that into the state telling me what to do (unless that what to do is pay my taxes in exchange for free health care, education, and subsidized retirement), but cigarette butts on the beach is bad news. They seep toxic chemicals such as cadmium, lead and arsenic into the marine environment within an hour of contact with water.
I think the city/state is totally within its bounds not allowing smoking in a public playground or on a public beach, just as they already ban alcohol. It's when they start reaching into privately owned businesses like bars and restaurants that I get a bit peeved.
there's nothing like heading to the beach a beautiful, warm day for a nice outing in the fresh air and choking on some dude's stinky cigar or some chain smoker's cigarette. yummy.
Now that I've stopped having sex on the beach this will not be nearly as painful as it might have been.
I totally agree with mss2400. The way to resolve this issue is to only ban smoking in playground areas, and for the Park District to back off on their proposed beach smoking ban.
Why the Chicago Park District has never had the common sense to install ashtray towers next to all the trash + recycling cans that they've installed throughout their beaches, similar to how certain restaurants and bars that prohibit smoking indoors have installed ashtray towers outside their entrances, is way beyond me. Plus, I feel that this would be the perfect way to resolve the problem of cigarette butt litter, rather than an unnecessary beach smoking ban.
Finally, I'm sick of the environmentalists who are kissing up to anti-smoking groups, and trying to justify the beach ban, because of 'environmental issues'. Why don't they go after far worser issues relating to litter, such as fast food wrappers, 6-pack soda/beer plastic ring wrappers(due to the fact fish and other animals could easily get stuck in the rings of these wrappers), etc.?? I'm sure these other litter items have just as much dangerous byproducts in them, as cigarettes do with the numerous chemcials in them.
I could care less if the Chicago Park District bans smoking in playground areas, which makes all the sense in the world to me. However, they really need to back off on the beach smoking ban proposal, which I feel was proposed in a very sneaky manner by only being unveiled today, and being voted on tomorrow. Please get real, Chicago Park District, and focus on more important issues!
Cigarette butts can be found everywhere in the city. The logic for the proposed ban at the beach dictates that smoking should be banned on all public property. But hey, why stop there, let's just cut to the chase and ban the sale of cigarettes in the city.
Some smoker can answer this, perhaps:
Why do many of you think it is OK to just throw butts on the ground?