Smoking in Parks

Smoking In Parks
The latest politically correct silliness is to ban all smoking anywhere in any park. Talk about overkill. With all the problems that must be addressed in the Nassau County park system, someone sitting on a park bench with a cigarette is not one of them.

No one likes blown smoke in their face, but this is hardly a big problem outside in a park. Smoking is already banned in any building or enclosed space in the parks and that should be sufficient. This only diverts attention from the destruction in many of Nassau’s preserves, critical lack of park personnel in site administration and maintenance and the timely replacement of aging infrastructure.

We have had the opportunity to visit most county parks on a regular basis. While we have found numerous problems needing attention, smoking is not one of them. Cut the bloated patronage jobs at park headquarters and hire more entry level workers. Restore clean and inviting restrooms, pedestrian walkways, park benches and picnic tables. Those projects are worthy of the county’s attention.

Leave the poor smokers, ostracized from virtually all public and private buildings, some place they can take a puff in peace.