| ■ California May Ban Smoking in State Parks | 2010.03.19 |
| A bill to ban smoking in all state parks will be considered Thursday by California lawmakers. The move is seen as a way to reduce the threat of wildfires, address the problem of unsightly cigarette butts on beaches, and eliminate second-hand smoke. Campsites and parking areas would be exempt from the ban, the Associated Press reported. If the bill is passed, California will have what is believed to be the nation's most restrictive smoking ban in state parks. "It is very clear that the garbage that is created as a result of smoking on beaches -- butts and wrappers -- are polluting our water," bill author Democratic State Sen. Jenny Oropeza of Long Beach, told the AP. "In terms of the state park system, we have a major fire hazard when cigarettes are smoked in parks." The American Cancer Society says similar state park smoking bans are being considered in Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Jersey and New York. |