The days of lighting up at the park could be coming to an end. The Reno City Council unanimously approved the first reading of a possible ordinance that would ban smoking and vaping in city parks. The idea is to create a healthier environment by eliminating second-hand smoke.
"We view ourselves as one of the health providers of the area and this should be right along with our message that we want you to be healthy in healthy places," Andy Bass, Director of Parks, Recreation and Community Services for the City of Reno said.
The council's vote means they will likely pass the ordinance in a future meeting. Residents brought the idea to the city, and a survey showed that they overwhelmingly wanted to restrict smoking. The proposal would also ban smoking along much of the Truckee River, since walking paths are included.
"For the people that don't want second-hand smoke or don't want to be around smoke, I think it's a good idea to restrict it in some public places," Samuel Margolies, a Reno resident said.
Smoking in restaurants is already illegal, and many other public places require people to smoke outside. Some smokers say the ordinance would be another encroachment.
"We're trying to abide by the laws and do what people ask us to do and then you just keep on crowding us even more and pushing us even farther away," Michael Purdy, a Reno resident said.
Many people leave cigarette butts laying in the parks, including around picnic tables.
"There's cigarette butts in abundance," Margolies said. "It's unsightly and it's dirty and it's something that I don't like to see."
Bass says the cigarette butts create a park maintenance issue, requiring crews to clean up the litter.
"Hours and hours every week to do that," Bass said. "So, we're hopeful that this will cut down and allow us to do some other park maintenance that is needed."
The proposal would also expand the current ordinance. Smoking is already banned in facilities like swimming pools and recreational centers. This ordinance would require people to be at least 100 feet away if they want to smoke.
Smokers say they understand why many residents favor the ban, saying public opinion has been trending that direction for some time. Purdy says if the council passes the ordinance, he will make the most of it.
"As a smoker, I guess it's a part of life that you just kind of get used to," Purdy said. "Maybe it's one more step in the right direction to help me to stop smoking, myself, if they do something like that."
Marijuana is legal in Nevada but people are not allowed to use it in public places, including parks. This proposal would ban anything that creates second-hand smoke, including cigarettes, cigars, pipes and vape pens. Chewing tobacco would not be banned because it does not present a health issue to others.
