Butt out of Central Park _ NYC wants to make parks smoke-free

NYC wants to make parks smoke-free

NEW YORK — New York City’s famous parks may be going smoke-free.

The city’s health commissioner says the next goal in Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s anti-tobacco crusade is to ban smoking at city parks and beaches.

New York City has more than 1,700 parks, playgrounds and recreation facilities. The Parks Department is also in charge of 14 miles of beaches.

Health Commissioner Thomas Farley says New Yorkers shouldn’t have to breathe second-hand smoke, even outside. He says children shouldn’t even have to see people smoking.

Bloomberg faced a tough political battle when he banned smoking in restaurants and bars in 2002.