The Buffalo Common Council voted unanimously Tuesday to pass legislation banning smoking from public parks in the city of Buffalo. The ban includes tobacco products as well as electronic cigarettes, however it is expected there will be designated areas for smoking in some parks.
Buffalo Common Council President Darius Pridgen says that parks are for "recreation, enjoyment and health" and stats that while there will be designated areas for smokers, those areas will "be away from children and from people that choose not to smoke."
Pridgen also says the goal isn't to start issuing tickets and fines right away.
"Like any law when it first starts, I would assume that there will be an education period... I in no way want to have law enforcement after this is signed go to out to all their parks and start arresting people or ticketing people. Absolutely not."
The ban now awaits the approval of Mayor Byron Brown.
We received this statement from the Mayor's office:
"The Mayor will review the item, evaluate it with relevant Department Heads and then make a decision, as he does with any new piece of legislation."
There is no timetable for him to make his decision.
