The Boston Parks and Recreation Department voted unanimously Monday to prohibit smoking in all City of Boston park properties. The ban was sponsored first by Mayor Tom Menino and subsequently referred to the Boston City Council Committee on Government Operations on September 25. The ban was then approved and passed by the Council on November 20.
The amendment is to Ordinance 7-4.14 of the City of Boston Municipal code which, according to the committee report, “would prohibit smoking, including the smoking of marijuana, in public parks or other public places under the control of the Parks and Recreation Commission.”
Smoking is not limited to cigarettes or marijuana, but also cigars, pipes, “or other lighted or vaporized substance, in any manner or form.”
According to a press release by the Parks and Recreation, the amendment will be enforced by the likes of “the Boston Police Department and Boston Park Rangers and is punishable by a fine of $250 per violation” and will be put into effect immediately.
Commenting on the matter was outgoing Mayor Menino, who noted that a ban was necessary for preserving the health and wellness of Bostonians without compromising all of the amenities offered by the city’s beautiful and numerous parks.
“This amendment is necessary to maintain the health and safety of our public parks and ensure that these valuable resources can be enjoyed by all Boston residents,” said Mayor Menino in a letter.
But while on the surface it seems logical to disallow citizens from potentially harming those around them through second hand smoke, not to mention their own selves, some might take this as an infringement on their right to ingest what they please.
BostInno’s Washington D.C. sister site, InTheCapital, tackled this same issue back in July when the District considered the same move as Boston is now. Some interesting and contentious points were made on both sides; however, it’s important for people to realize that Boston, in this instance, simply has its residents’ best interests at heart.
What do you think? Is it immoral for the City of Boston to be able to tell its residents what they can and cannot put in their bodies? Or is this a law that should be adopted nationwide because of the obviously lethal effects smoking, and cigarettes in particular, have? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
