DULUTH, Minn. - A proposed smoking ban in playgrounds and at park youth events in Duluth has now expanded to cover more ground - including banning chewing tobacco as well.
The expansion sparked debate at tonight's agenda meeting.
The changes to the ordinance were enough to push away some councilors who initially supported the ban.
The original proposal ban focused on children.
It would have prohibited smoking within 100 feet of city youth events in parks and no smoking at playgrounds.
Now the language in the proposal pushes to make certain parks tobacco-free altogether.
That means no chewing tobacco as well.
The only parks which would be tobacco free are parks that already have existing rules banning smoking and include Spirit Mountain, the Lakewalk, Chester Park, Leif Erickson Park and the Rose Garden.
One city councilor says she no longer supports the ban partly because chewing tobacco doesn't have harmful second-hand effects on others like smoking.
"I do not think we can legislate behavior. I think smoking and tobacco ingesting of any kind is very unhealthy but these are issues that individuals have to deal with. It is not up to the city to legislate," said city coucil vice-president Sharla Gardner.
Councilors also questioned enforcement of the ban and how much signs would cost and where they would be placed around parks so tobacco users aren't caught off guard.
The two councilors proposing the ban say several cities in Minnesota have made ordinances to ban smoking in all city parks.
The two councilors have talked about wanting to have all parks be tobacco free in Duluth, but first want to see how these few parks go.
Posted to Web by Jena Pike
jpike@northlandsnewscenter.com
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