SCHENECTADY Shielding youths proposed Official: Enact partial outdoor smoking ban BY KATHLEEN MOORE Gazette Reporter
Caution: Young lungs at play. That’s the sign City Councilman Mark Blanchfield wants to see around every playground and pool in the city, if the City Council supports him today on a partial outdoor smoking ban. The proposed ban would only be in place near pools and playground equipment, allowing smokers to light up elsewhere in the parks. “At the very least, address this at Tiny Tots,” he said, referring to the playground built for toddlers at Central Park. “It’s particularly dangerous for kids who are small — their lungs are still developing.” Blanchfield has young children and his wife is a gynecologist. She’s very aware of the dangers of smoking, particularly on unborn children, who have lower birth weights if their mothers smoke. But it’s not as clear that cigarette smoke hurts children who are playing outdoors. In fact, smokers’ rights organizer Audrey Silk said there’s no danger at all. “Not conceding that they have even proved the effect of second-hand smoke indoors, it’s the outdoors!” said Silk, who runs Citizens Lobbying Against Smoker Harassment, based in New York City. “It’s like the rules of physics have been suspended. It’s crazy. There’s absolutely no reason for it.” She suggested that some people simply hate the smell of tobacco so much that they can’t stand being near it. “But in a civil society, you cope with things that bother you. There are screaming children, loud music you pass on the street — you cope with it,” she said. Blanchfield agreed that smoke isn’t as dangerous when it can be freely dispersed through the outdoor air. “That’s a good argument. Of course it’s not as dangerous,” he said. “But the kids don’t have the capability to make a choice. When you’re a little kid, you don’t even know these things are bad for you.” Young children also pick up cigarette butts at playgrounds, he said. “And when you think that’s the least toxic part of the experience, you get concerned,” he said. He’s hoping a ban would help teach adults to automatically put out their cigarettes when they’re near children. “If you’re not aware of the harms it has on kids I’m thinking a sign like ‘Young Lungs At Play.’ I think people would realize it’s a good idea to extinguish your cigarette when you’re around kids.” The proposal appears to be a popular one. The Capital District Tobacco-Free Coalition, which is supporting the proposal, has reported dramatic shift in public opinion toward outdoor smoking bans in the past two years. Director Judy Rightmyer said a 2005 survey found just 34 percent of Schenectady County residents supported a ban in parks and outdoor recreation areas. By 2007, 78 percent favored a ban in playgrounds and 79 percent wanted a ban near pools. Last year’s survey involved calling 350 residents in late June. “The community wants it,” Rightmyer said. Her research also shows that only 16 percent of the county’s residents smoke — but that’s still too much for her. Reducing that percentage is her main reason for supporting the ban. “The majority of people start smoking by 19 years of age. By banning smoking in our playgrounds and pools, where the kids congregate, it sends a message that smoking is not socially acceptable,” she said. But Silk said the ban is the wrong way to teach children not to smoke. “You don’t de-normalize a habit without de-normalizing the person,” she said. “If you don’t want your kids to smoke, it’s the parents’ job to teach them, not to take a segment of society off the streets.”
I wonder how those county meeting to deal with the sex offenders are going? Seems to me, the city has bigger fish to fry. Sex offenders......NO. Outdoor smoking ban.......YES! A smoking ban are one of the top issue on my priority list.
Can anybody explain to me why Blanchfields wife occupation of gynecologist makes him more of an expert on this issue? I could have told him the correlation between smoking mothers and low birth weight. I think I learned that in high school health class.
I always love to see the expansion of the Nanny State.
First we have the 'adults only spray paint law'. Second we have the 'no styrofoam cup law'. Third we have the 'no smoking outside law'. Forth we have the uneffective 'gun amnesty law'. ....which are all nonsense!!! I would be embarassed to bring such legislation to the floor...REALLY!!!
What about working on those silly, non-essential things like sex offenders, crime, taxes, good jobs, infrustructure and the other non-essentials?
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Govt, and Blanchfield need to stay out of peoples personal lives. If I choose to smoke, in my house/car or outside, it's my own damn business - unless there's a kid in the car/house - outside is FREE TERRITORY.
If you wanna pass a law that says "Central Park is Smoke Free" - go ahead, I'll fight it to the end. My tax dollars pay for that park, I'm sure there'll be any number of scumbag lawyers waiting to get a piece of that payday.
Smoking snuffed out at playground Council agrees to ban at Tiny Totland, but holds off on notices elsewhere
By LAUREN STANFORTH, Staff writer First published: Friday, April 11, 2008
SCHENECTADY -- The City Council agreed to post no-smoking signs at Tiny Totland playground in Central Park and at municipal pools, but stopped short of outlawing smoking at other city playgrounds. Council members considered such a measure at the urging of the Capital District Tobacco-Free Coalition, which wants to stop smoking at playgrounds in the Capital Region.
Jeanie Orr, the project's coordinator, said she started the effort in Schenectady because she lives in Schenectady County and knows City Council member Mark Blanchfield. Broome, Cortland and Rockland counties have also adopted similar bans. City Council member Gary McCarthy said that unless a playground is fenced in, its borders would be unclear. City Council member Joseph Allen said he doesn't want to discourage adults from attending the parks. "People come to the park for a lot of different reasons. I have some trouble limiting smoking in the park," Allen said. Orr said when signs are posted parents feel more comfortable in asking others to stop smoking inside the playground. The council decided to start with Tiny Totland and perhaps post signs in other playgrounds later. The council agreed to put the signs at city swimming pools because those areas are clearly fenced. The signs will be posted at the Central Park playground and municipal pools for one year. The program will be reviewed after that.
SCHENECTADY Pools, playground now smoke-free areas BY KATHLEEN MOORE Gazette Reporter
Smoking has now been banned at all of the city’s pools and Central Park’s playground for young children. The Schenectady City Council agreed Monday to a smoking ban that may be extended to the city’s other playgrounds by the end of the summer. “Let’s start with Tiny Tots Land and the pools and revisit it as we go forward in the season,” said Councilman Mark Blanchfield, who proposed the ban. For now, smokers must snuff out their cigarettes at Tiny Tots Land in Central Park as well as the city’s outdoor pools at Hillhurst, Quackenbush and Front Street. Blanchfield had discussed banning smoking in every playground. But when the issue came before the council, some members hesitated, saying they were afraid it would be impossible to enforce the ban and difficult to delineate restricted areas in playgrounds. Blanchfield argued that police enforcement wouldn’t be needed. He said most smokers would obey signs telling them not to smoke near playgrounds. “Let’s phase it in with signs, see if smokers obey,” he said. The Capital District Tobacco-Free Coalition has offered to provide the signs, which would read in part, “Young Lungs At Play.” Coalition Project Coordinator Jeanie Orr told the council that smokers have generally obeyed the signs in other cities. “The signage really makes a big difference,” she said. “Most smokers are very good about that. And as a mother, if there was a sign, I’d feel much more comfortable saying, ‘Oh, can you move away? This is a no-smoking area.’ ” One pool had a ban last year. Although the council didn’t know about it, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Schenectady banned smoking at Quackenbush Pool last summer when they ran the facility. Officials told the city council that smokers gave them no trouble when they were told to put out their cigarettes. But Councilwoman Denise Brucker said she didn’t want police to have to track down smokers on top of everything else they do. “Is there a way to do this without creating a law for it? That would take enforcement right off the table,” she said. “Limit it to Tiny Tots Land and the pools.” Councilman Gary McCarthy added that the resolution was “feelgood legislation.” Councilman Joseph Allen said he doesn’t want smokers to end up being kicked out of the parks altogether. “I don’t want to ban it in the parks. But play areas — but all means they should not be smoking in Tiny Tots Land or any other play areas in the city,” Allen said. Blanchfield said Tiny Tots Land would be a perfect place to start, since it is fenced, unlike many of the city’s playgrounds, and caters to the city’s youngest children.
Re the April 16 article “Smoking at city pools banned”: I see that Schenectady has now officially banned smoking at pools and the playground in Central Park. I have to say, I can’t believe that this was necessary! Are people really smoking at a kids’ playground? What is wrong with them? Everyone by now knows that smoking is bad. It amazes me that there are smokers who are so selfish and inconsiderate that they would even think about smoking at a playground! Smoking is disgusting, and doing it around kids is just sick. If you are a smoker, you have got to think about who else besides yourself you are affecting when you light up. JEREMY KERGEL Ballston Lake
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