Could NYC Cut the People’s Smoking Addiction
New York City’s mayor is banning smoking outside at beaches, parks and public plazas. There’s people who smoke and others who don’t. At Penn Tavern in Reading, two woman explain how they feel. “I don’t care for Kent cigarettes. I never smoked I just don’t like it I don’t care for it at all,” said Devonne Linsey.
“People are addicted to it so how are you going to stop somebody from smoking outside where the air is free?” said Karen Grinnage.
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed a new bill into law on Tuesday that will ban smoking in the city’s parks, beaches and public plazas. The law goes into effect in 3 months.
“I love the fact that they banned smoking. I really do,” said Lindsey,”Second-hand smoke is not good for you.”
“They’re going too far,” said Grinnage, “They’re taking the law too far. Where are you suppose to smoke? In your house?”
Right now, people are free to smoke in this plaza off Penn Street. So, I asked a city council member what’s the likelihood of a ban like the one in New York being enacted here in Reading.
“I think at this point in time we have to make sure what we already have in place is being followed and we need to look at the enforceability of it,” said Marcia Goodman-Hinnershitz, city council member.
Reading already bans smoking in city owned areas like parks and playgrounds. “What it does it gives people the right to say to someone who is smoking on city property that it’s really against our city ordinance to smoke cigarettes there. And people are mostly very respectful when they’re asked not to smoke,” said Goodman-Hinnershitz.
She said city council would not pursue the idea of extending Reading’s ban. Right now, smokers can be fined $25 dollars for smoking in prohibited areas, but that fine is rarely enforced. One smoker said if she was ever cited, “That’s when it’s time for all of us smokers to get together and fight the law,” said Grinnage.
About The Author
Comments