As of 7/6, smoking is banned in ALL Seattle public parks, Think it will work?

[Hemlock140]

Originally Posted by rodentraiser

So if the homeless can't be in the parks, where else are they going to go? Out on the sidewalks? You won't like that either.

Cigarette smoke can go a long distance. I have a third floor room and I can smell cigarette smoke from the people sitting down and across the street in front of the coffee shop. What's funny though, is I came to Seattle from San Jose. I was absolutely amazed when I got here to see how many people smoked. Considering how so many people like the out-of-doors and Seattle is supposed to be a healthy city, there are a lot more smokers here than in the Bay Area.

I would prefer that they smoke in a park with concrete walkways and green, regularly watered lawns, than in their homes under the freeway with all of the tall, dry grass. If they did enforce this law, there would be grass fires all over the I90/I5 areas. They won't though, it's a "feel good" lip service law.

[ender554]

The University I go to banned cigarettes this year. Then they took out all the ashtrays. So now there are cigarette butts all over the ground instead of in the provided ashtrays. I expect similar results in the parks.

[CrazyDonkey]

The police don't enforce the 25-foot rule for smoking outside businesses and residences. They don't enforce the laws against drinking alcohol or smoking pot in parks, unless it is right in front of them, and even then they only write a citation that gets crumbled up and thrown away.

Try getting the police to respond to a 911 complaint about illegal drinking/pot-smoking. Just try it. Maybe they'll respond if you say they're fighting, attacking bystanders, or threatening bicyclists.

[rodentraiser]

Originally Posted by ender554

The University I go to banned cigarettes this year. Then they took out all the ashtrays. So now there are cigarette butts all over the ground instead of in the provided ashtrays. I expect similar results in the parks.

It's interesting that you mention the cigarette butts. Everybody I've ever said anything to always says they put their cigarettes out in an ashtray. Well, those butts come from someplace and a fact you can't ignore is that only cigarette smokers leave butts behind.

The Seattle ferry banned smoking outside their building where you wait for the ferries. At one time, there were so many butts thrown onto the ledges and water, it looked like someone had shoveled them there. Since they banned smoking and presumably cleaned the butts out, that area has stayed pretty clean and I bet they're happy about not having to clean that again.

[shaxs]

Originally Posted by rodentraiser

So if the homeless can't be in the parks, where else are they going to go? Out on the sidewalks? You won't like that either.

Cigarette smoke can go a long distance. I have a third floor room and I can smell cigarette smoke from the people sitting down and across the street in front of the coffee shop. What's funny though, is I came to Seattle from San Jose. I was absolutely amazed when I got here to see how many people smoked. Considering how so many people like the out-of-doors and Seattle is supposed to be a healthy city, there are a lot more smokers here than in the Bay Area.

I was surprised by this too.

[ender554]

Originally Posted by rodentraiser

It's interesting that you mention the cigarette butts. Everybody I've ever said anything to always says they put their cigarettes out in an ashtray. Well, those butts come from someplace and a fact you can't ignore is that only cigarette smokers leave butts behind.

The Seattle ferry banned smoking outside their building where you wait for the ferries. At one time, there were so many butts thrown onto the ledges and water, it looked like someone had shoveled them there. Since they banned smoking and presumably cleaned the butts out, that area has stayed pretty clean and I bet they're happy about not having to clean that again.

they made smoking illegal and got rid of the ashtrays. People kept smoking and now they have to trhow the butts on the ground. That is the dumb part.

[wutitiz]

As a runner I never liked people smoking in parks but I have been able to get over it. I don't suppose that families like to see a bare-chested 50-somthing runner running lap after lap around downtown Bellevue Park, but they should be able to get over that too.

[rodentraiser]

Originally Posted by ender554

they made smoking illegal and got rid of the ashtrays. People kept smoking and now they have to trhow the butts on the ground. That is the dumb part.

You know, I could say that sums up smokers and their entitled attitude pretty well, but even I know it's a bunch of bad apples making it harder for everyone else.