Park smoking ban goes into effect

Kiss those butts goodbye.
A city-wide ban on smoking at city parks went into effect today forcing smokers to find the nearest sidewalk or parking lot if they want a cigarette.
The ban covers the 14 miles of beaches and 1,700 parks throughout the city.
The violation – which carries a $50 fine – will not be enforced by police but by park rangers. Since park rangers can only cover so much of the 29,000 acres of land covered by the Parks Department the law will require a certain amount of self-enforcement.
“We expect that New Yorkers will ask people to follow the law and stop smoking,” the Parks Department web site states. If the person continues to smoke, the Parks Department suggests finding a ranger or dialing 3-1-1.
The pro-smoker’s rights group New York City Citizens Lobbying Against Smoker Harassment (C.L.A.S.H) plans to hold a “Smoke-in the Park,” on May 28 at Brighton Beach, saying the gathering is “an invitation for friends to get together like any other day at the beach to illustrate that this law will be paid the respect it deserves.” Calling the law “wrong” the web site says it “will celebrate the time-honored tradition and civic duty of civilly disobeying unjust laws.”
The ban is also in effect for boardwalks, public golf courses, sports stadia grounds and pedestrian plazas, such as Times Square.