The areas where New York City smokers are able to light up will significantly decrease if Mayor Michael Bloomberg gets his way. The mayor has proposed banning smoking in all government-controlled outdoor spaces: 1,700 parks, 14 miles of beaches, and numerous city-owned golf courses, marinas and pedestrian plazas such as those in Times Square.
Citing a Health Department study last year that found the presence of a nicotine biomarker in 57 percent of New Yorkers, Health Commissioner Dr. Tom Farley said, “That means huge numbers of New Yorkers are essentially smoking against their will.”
“I can’t believe the health commissioner is equating second-hand smoke in outdoor spaces with actual smoking,” exclaims ACSH’s Jeff Stier. “Just because you have a biomarker for nicotine, that automatically means you’re smoking? If the health department wants to regulate a quality of life issue, that’s fine. But they should argue it based on those merits, not based on unfounded health allegations.”
ACSH’s Dr. Elizabeth Whelan agrees: “The reason for the proposed legislation, which sounds draconian to smokers, is an aesthetic one. People just don’t like the smell of smoke — it’s revolting.”
