Five years after last try, Seattle Parks smoking ban proposed again

Alki Resident March 19, 2015 (12:06 pm)

RE: “within 25 feet of other park patrons and in play areas, beaches, or playgrounds.”

Would be nice to be able to walk along Alki beach and not have to smell pot or tobacco at all. The police are there and the violations are happening ON the stairs to the beach. I am assuming they are not enforcing said rule, so if they are not going to enforce, why make it even a bigger rule?

Diane March 19, 2015 (12:11 pm)

agree; we need “enforcement” attached to any new regulations

Heather Smith March 19, 2015 (12:29 pm)

I have no problem with it a ban on smoking in public land. Zero. It won’t prohibit smokers from enjoying their tobacco products in private space (their cars, homes, yards). Unfortunately, we know that the 25′ law is a joke. It’s not enforced and not observed. Many non-smokers to avoid “public” spaces where smokers light up or are forced out of the area i they don’t want to be around the smokers. It’s not fair that smokers can take over public space, but we know in reality that’s what happens.

old timer March 19, 2015 (12:52 pm)

If they have to have their “control fix”,
I’d rather they start with the bus stops.
Although assigning a personal minder with taser to everyone might better achieve their ultimate goals.

The truth March 19, 2015 (1:12 pm)

I believe the enforcement is a matter of the Health Department and not police. Talk about a paper tiger. How many health department enforcement officers do we see on Alki.

Northwest March 19, 2015 (1:14 pm)

If your a smoker and reading this please think of others and at least dispose of your cigarette butt someplace else than our public sidewalks streets and all others public places. The damn butts are every where you look and it’s only going to increase! Have some respect for others!

KBear March 19, 2015 (1:17 pm)

Smoking’s already illegal at bus stops. Again, no enforcement means no compliance.

Ray March 19, 2015 (1:27 pm)

Again, I will presume this is well intentioned, but do not expect much enforcement.

What will likely happen is that if there is any enforcement, subsequent review of said enforcement will show that minorities are likely to be the ones ticketed more often than not, and then any enforcement that was being done will be scaled back or eliminated.

Why not just start a campaign asking people to stop smoking in parks, and then have any enforcement be to ask people not to do it. It will not stop smoking but will likely decrease it as people either refrain or try to be more discrete.

vincent March 19, 2015 (1:38 pm)

Smoking bad, fire pits are ok though somehow.

What’s next a ban on perfumes and flatulence?

I wish people would think before they propose such unenforceable nonsense. Smokers are an easy punching bag to look like you’re doing something, but how about some real work first?

wetone March 19, 2015 (1:50 pm)

Alki Res. I agree 100%. The people smoking cigs in public now will just switch to smoking pot. They know the city does nothing to enforce the current laws they have now:)

anonyme March 19, 2015 (2:05 pm)

I’m all for the ban, but without enforcement it will be just like the leash law. How’s that working out?

Northwest March 19, 2015 (2:33 pm)

I like what San Mateo County has done go to flowstobay.com would post a link but has not taken in the past. The page I got to has a form one can fill out and receive in the mail a keychain receptacle ashtray to contain your cigarette butts into until later when it can be thrown away into the trash.

iggy March 19, 2015 (2:44 pm)

Certainly no compliance on Union Street between 1st and 2nd Avenue (the north side of the Seattle Art Museum building). Office workers in that tower congregate on the sidewalk to smoke. I’ve counted as many as a dozen at a time. When I go to SAM, walking up that street is a wall of smoke. Definitely not 25 feet from pedestrians.

HD March 19, 2015 (2:46 pm)

I am a smoker and I have respect for others. If I smoke in public its not around others and I don’t smoke by children, playgrounds or beach. I pick up my cigarette butts but know others don’t. I really am aware people don’t like it. I don’t drink I don’t smoke pot I smoke cigarettes its my habit. I agree due with others to a point I choose to respect people and others don’t. I have respect not to be that jerk who flips there cigarette in ground. I think with all the car thefts, robbery’s, our kids getting robbed on way to school, and problems at Westwood need more attention…..

Azimuth March 19, 2015 (2:55 pm)

I’d rather see a ban on douche bags.

Anne March 19, 2015 (3:07 pm)

You can have as many laws as you want- but without enforcement they mean nothing. There’s alreafy a ban/law on smoking withing 25′ of a business – as others have mentioned bus stops- but no one seems to pay any attention. Why not ask the next community meeting with police present why the current laws aren’t being enforced?
As to having Health Department enforce – there’s probably way fewer HD workers than police – besides what exactly can they do- can they ticket you- if so & you ignore- what are consequences?

JanS March 19, 2015 (3:14 pm)

Vincent, my dear…I don’t want to smell , breathe in, your cigarette smoke. I agree…this would be unenforceable. I live in a non-smoking building…the one lone smoker here walks outside stands under our windows…and smokes. And if window is open, it comes in. Second hand smoke is very harmful., esp. if one is on immune suppressing drugs, and has a history of cancer. Asking smokers to be mindful of non-smokers? Really? They have as much right as we do to public spaces that are not parks, and we can’t ban them from smoking there.

But…we all know there are not hardly enough “enforcers” to police all our parks. While it sounds good, I think it may be a waste of time to really pursue this (and that translates into a waste of money).

Something that does need to be spoken about? We have no snow pack to speak of, and that means our watershed is lower. And this area is in a (so far) 3 year drought. I wish more smokers would be more mindful of flipping their cigs out their car windows. Cars have ashtrays, so use them. I predict we will have more fires than usual (and that’s plenty) this year. Is it too hard to publicly remind people with signs, billboards, whatever to be more careful since it’s so dry?

jwright March 19, 2015 (3:41 pm)

100% in favor of a ban! My family and I do not appreciate having to breathe somebody’s else’s smoke. Unfortunately, I envision a smoking ban being enforced just as strenuously as the “no dogs on beach” rule.

Oakley34 March 19, 2015 (3:48 pm)

Agree with Northwest’s comment. Please smokers…at least pick up your butts. I know some do, but most don’t. I’m a former smoker…I know how it is, but please at least pick the butts. Same sentiment stands for ALL…please don’t litter, please pick up dog poop…it is all one principle to me, and it equally breaks my heart and pisses me off.

On a different but kind of similar topic…how does Metro determine which stops get garbage containers attached to the pole and which do not? I feel WS would be more garbage and butt free if trash containers were universal.

Mike March 19, 2015 (3:58 pm)

I am not a smoker and I would not go to an establishment that allowed smoking, but I am against the ban on smoking in private businesses such as bars. If people do not want to be around smoke then don’t go to the establishments that allow it. Let the market dictate whether allowing smoking or not works for them. Then maybe you would not have everyone outside on sidewalks smoking in public. Every time the government tries to fix something they just make it worse.

Rick March 19, 2015 (4:00 pm)

I’m all for getting butts out of Seattle. (I’m pretty sure you know who you are)

Nick March 19, 2015 (5:13 pm)

Smokers pay taxes too why can they not smoke outside in public places. I wish some people would respect the fact that everyone is not like them. Ask the person to not smoke by you maybe instead of wanting the government to enforce everything you don’t like.

Beth March 19, 2015 (5:32 pm)

In Tokyo right now where smoking while walking on public streets is banned. Seen as a public health issue, not an individual freedom issue. Plenty of Tokyo residents smoke, but not while walking in public.

G March 19, 2015 (6:02 pm)

My mom has the lungs of a smoker she has NEVER smoked! She suffers from severe attacks! Her lungs swell and she bleeds out occasionally….she had been exposed to hours days and years of second hand smoke at bus stops on her way to and from work.
Yes they are tax payers too but that doesn’t give you a right to destroy our bodies just because you chose the habit.
We don’t know for how much longer we have our mother with us now for, her lungs are corroded, she’s very young..had just 3 children two of us now in our twenties.. and we have a little sister barely in elementary school.
I’m asthmatic and I have young children of my own.
It seems SO MANY feel the right to smoke and pollute everyone around them with their habits be it tabbaco or pot, it sickens me.
Why if angel dust was legalized would it be fine by you to have everyone who chooses to follow the habit to sprinkle it all around like tinker bell and her pixie dust? I believe not. So why not keep it to your car or home hecks I wouldn’t mind you using the blu electronic cigarettes. Just keep it away. Please. Believe me no one is picking you out to bully you or attack you, we respect your decision to smoke. Just respect our decision to want to live healthy long lives. Don’t impose your life choices on all of us.

jwright March 19, 2015 (6:14 pm)

Nick, I enthusiastically support the right to smoke provided it does not affect me. I don’t want to breathe second-hand smoke, I don’t want public places sullied by butts, and I don’t want to pay higher health insurance rates to subsidize medical care to treat smoking-caused illnesses.

pupsarebest March 19, 2015 (6:26 pm)

Unenforceable mainly because we have too few police officers and higher priorities.
If only one of those higher priorities was stringent enforcement of the texting-while-driving law.
Talk about shooting fish in a barrel.

Norquay March 19, 2015 (6:31 pm)

Don’t forget that you are nearly as likely to die in your car, on the way home from the park.
Factor in the very minimal 2nd hand exposure to smoking likely to have occurred in the wide open spaces of the great outdoors, and I think you have a somewhat weaker argument for this proposal.

Steve March 19, 2015 (6:37 pm)

Oh great.. another nanny regulation. every law creates has to have an enforcement provision, that means yet another contact point with cops and guns. Didn’t ya learn from the NYC choking death of a man selling single cigarettes because nanny regulations made smoking too expensive for a full pack purchase? What nnext banning of fragrances and perfumes? I take the ocassional stray and obnoxious wiff of smokw. Why do Seattltesd love a their nanny government?

Northwest March 19, 2015 (6:47 pm)

People have the right to smoke by all means I myself smoked for 10 yrs plus and threw irresponsibly my fair share of cigarette butts I support responsible behavior and I also support like I believe Bellevue is doing in one or more of their restaurant and business districts providing receptacles for smokers to reponsibly dispose of them on public sidewalks. Sand Diego is also doing this with results. Yours truly has installed 3 I built in The Junction and although they attract trash like coffe cups ,have to tweek the design, they are being used by smokers result staying out of our already stressed utility sewers and puget sound, J51’s home.

Julie March 19, 2015 (6:53 pm)

Yes. Please. And I’ll gladly help pay for enforcement!

Smythe March 19, 2015 (8:01 pm)

I’m in favor of a smoking ban at Westlake Park in downtown Seattle and Victor Steinbrueck Park at Pike Place Market. I can do without that obnoxious whiff of MJ.

Bob March 19, 2015 (8:27 pm)

If I could stick something in my mouth that made me fart on will and it gave me pleasure to do so, I wouldn’t do it in public*. Smoke smells like crap (figuratively) and while it may or may not be legal, it’s rude as hell to expose random people to it.

As someone who commutes by bus, I have to smell it at most stops. Ask people not to? If they are inconsiderate enough to expose a crowd of people to smoke for their singular pleasure, it’s an uncomfortable thing to ask of that stranger. A noticeable sign on bus poles would help with respect and maybe enforcement. Also, smokers, remember to try to stand down wind. It makes a huge difference.

* So I’ll stay away from that sugar-free hard candy.

Paul March 19, 2015 (8:49 pm)

Nick –

No one is tell you that you cannot smoke. If you choose to do so, you are welcomed to do it in a place that does not force others to smoke (second hand) with you. Your rights end where mine begin.

batgurrl March 19, 2015 (8:51 pm)

Oh my. We the land of the free have turned into a bunch of whinners. And pretty soon there will be no free or understanding of different ways. If cigarette butts are so bad we ban smoking. I think we should ban drinking lattes in public since we see cups thrown on the ground too. Where does big brother end? There is my two cents which I am sure someone will hate. R

unperfect human March 19, 2015 (11:18 pm)

Ok folks, we live in a diverse land. Everyone has things, be it coffee, chocolate, tobacco, alcohol. Your bubble may work for you, don’t imposes your personal bubble on the whole. No food or drink in parks, cuz some folks litter, some do not. No bbq in parks, some are vegan. No footballs and frisbees cuz someone might get hit. No loud children, cuz it infringes the peace of others.Your personal bubble does not better the whole. Most smokers keep it to themselves, the others…..

Bradley March 20, 2015 (12:50 am)

What good is a ban if it’s not enforced? I’m tired of seeing people smoking pot openly in Lincoln Park and at Alki. What’s going to stop someone from lighting-up a Marlboro if we can’t even stop drug and alcohol users, vandals, and car prowlers in our parks?

datamuse March 20, 2015 (9:08 am)

Smoke ’em if you got ’em, I don’t care, but a right to smoke? Please. Personally I’m in favor of bringing back smoking rooms and smoking jackets (which existed in the first place because the smell…lingers), but that ship has probably sailed.

smokeythebear March 20, 2015 (10:07 am)

-Amen datamuse.
-Give it a rest Bradley.

I have a novel concept… If you’re passing by me in the local park and I happen to be smoking, HOLD YOUR BREATH IF/WHEN YOU PASS ME. HOLD YOUR BREATH, BECUASE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO.

Have a nice day!

Bradley March 20, 2015 (1:14 pm)

@smokeythebear: I shouldn’t have to hold my breath when I walk in a park that our tax dollars pay for. That’s why I don’t smoke my pungent Honduran cigars at Lincoln Park while people are trying to enjoy the sea breezes that they are paying for. Maybe giving your lungs a rest while at the park is a better idea?

Greeny March 20, 2015 (1:19 pm)

Smokey, you’ve said it, and still can’t see past your own incredible arrogance. Your “concept” is not even “novel” – it’s what, in fact, we already do. Those of us who are outside HAVE TO HOLD OUR BREATH- as in, NOT BREATHE, not only for the duration of passing you, (more like packing up our small area of enjoyment of nature), but all the way out of your smoke frame – which is a lot longer than 60 seconds (or, probably about 5 times longer than you can hold your compromised lungs. Cigar? I’ve run the entire length of Lincoln Park gagging on your trailings before catching and passing you into clean air) Are you really demanding it of me, and the children, just so you can indulge yourself wherever and whenever you want? You already enjoy the rest of us paying taxes to subsidize your healthcare, as well as higher rates on our insurance in order to carry you – what is it inside you that also feels you may also demand that the rest of us also compromise our health, even give up the enjoyment of breathing clean air? Surely you must enjoy that at times, too – and you can appreciate, surely, that the rest of us cannot just “make” that happen – we cannot create clean air. But you, in two seconds, can ruin it. And make me have to pack up kiddos, blankets, sand toys, shoes, etc. etc., just because you want to sit on a log and….smoke? That’s not to mention the time and disgust I spent creating a “butt-free” zone in the sand for my kids – and you find it humorous to expect me to pack up and do it, over and over again? If you really enjoy the stench and persist in killing yourself in such an ignoble way, I’m not opposed – do it in your own home, car, or yard. Or maybe better for all of us (maybe you’ll get rich, or at least fully enjoy your own aromas)..create personal, closed-loop air smoking helmets.

Reasonsable, mature people uphold laws. We self-enforce – stop at red lights, don’t yell through the streets at 2am, and pick up after our dogs. And when people behave in unreasonable, immature, and hurtful-to-others ways, the laws on the books mean enforcement IS an available remedy. Without a law, we really have only an appeal to someone’s kindness of character – not much in this case, when the astonishing arrogance of the “novel concept” solution, unfortunately, does not even register.

Greeny March 20, 2015 (1:38 pm)

@ Bradley. Thank you for your thoughtfulness and consideration while enjoying Lincoln Park – truly. (coincidence of cross-post)

smokerr March 20, 2015 (1:54 pm)

I’m a smoker. I smoke 2-4 cigarettes a day and consider it my relaxation time. I also pick up my butts and any other butts I see lying around. I do smoke in parks, but well away from others and especially playgrounds. Occasionally, joggers will run through my area and so I smoke on a bench that has a very wide berth around it. I actually discussed this at length with my doctor once. According to her, there is no health risk being imposed on others due to my behavior–nothing that isn’t the same as running on a street, etc. (insert rebuttal where some whiner rants that they run in parks to avoid the pollution). I do realize that a lot of smokers don’t care and are jerks about it but I think this is true of any sample of people, doing any sort of “annoying” behavior. And for the record, I am not saying smoking is healthy but I also don’t appreciate the self righteous entitled attitudes that are so prevalent in this city. If you choose to live in a city, regardless of what laws are in place, you will always have to deal with something annoying. If you are concerned about the air you breathe, you could start by driving less.

I have smoked off and on for many years, often going ten or more years without smoking. During those times, the smell of smoke has been offensive to me, but it really isn’t that big of a deal. I guess that’s it. If it bugs me, I move. The people who are just ranting about it sound really uptight, like you have nothing better to do with your lives than complain and inflict your own opinions on everybody else. You are not going to get lung cancer from walking through smoke for a few seconds. BTW, I’m not disputing the fact that there are jerk smokers out there. I just think it’s easier to not be so uptight and to let yourself not get so worked up about it.

As far as the ban goes, it’s totally short sighted and basically ridiculous. If Seattle wants to be free of cigarettes, go with a complete public smoking ban. If citizens vote that in, the city must also be able to enforce it. Right now, the 25 ft. law, the dog issues, etc., are not being enforced at all. This just seems really dumb. Seattle is getting more and more uptight and entitled. :(

And finally, I was at the park several times this week. I smelled pot smoke twice, saw many off leash dogs, poop bags, and dog poop, cigarette butts, a homeless man urinating in a park, several teenagers swearing, hipsters drinking beer on the beach, and tons of litter, garbage cans overflowing with single use water bottles, sports drinks, and coffee cups, people talking annoying loud on their cell phones while I was trying to enjoy the silence. Should we make some more laws? Can we just legislate all of the unsavory things about city life away?

The problem isn’t the smoking in the parks. The problem is that people feel they are entitled to things being a certain way, the way they themselves want it to be.

anonyme March 20, 2015 (2:17 pm)

The problem with the anti-legislation argument is that it used to be unnecessary for most of these things to be made into law. At one time, people actually exercised some common sense and respect, and restricted activities that were offensive to others, including families. Those days are gone. All I see (or hear, read about) now are a bunch of self-entitled jerks who don’t give a rat’s ass about anyone else as long as they can do whatever stinking, disgusting, or illegal activity they want to any time, anywhere. Seattle has become a cesspool.

WSB March 20, 2015 (2:25 pm)

Honestly, that’s a little much. That’s not ALL you read about unless you deliberately skip the positive stories here (let alone whatever other news publications you read) – we also publish stories about people doing cool things, helping their neighbors, creating and showcasing art, coming together in community advocacy, raising money for schools/food banks/nonprofits, and even doing simple acts to counter the bad stuff, like cleaning up after smokers who toss their leftovers and beachgoers who leave trash behind, forming Block Watches for stronger neighborhoods, etc. This is my city too and it’s NOT a “cesspool” – it’s a city with hundreds of thousands of people, no two alike, some who do bad things, many, many more who do good things. Thanks. – Tracy

highlandpark March 20, 2015 (3:14 pm)

I just want to add to the comments by smokerr. We may be endangering OUR health by smoking but contrary to some the comments I have read here, we’re not all inconsiderate, litter-happy idiots willfully trying to endanger other people’s health. I am a long-time smoker and I use a portable ashtray to store my cig butts so I can dispose of them responsibly in the trash. I also pick up other people’s discarded cig butts and do a weekly trash pickup (mostly fast food refuse) in my neighborhood. If someone (particularly a child) comes near me when I am smoking outdoors (25 feet from doors of course), I will move out of their way and make EVERY effort to blow the smoke in another direction or upwind from them. When I have smoked in a park in the past and there were people nearby, I asked if it would bother them and if they said yes, I would happily move so as not to bother them.

If we’re trying to reduce the cig butt litter in the Sound (which breaks my heart and is SO wrong), wouldn’t it be much more effective to require bars and restaurants to have and maintain ashtrays in a suitable and legal location outside? Banning smoking in bars and restaurants has only pushed the habit outdoors and the litter from ashtrays to the sidewalk. Someone please correct me but I believe that most of that litter finds itself in the Sound due to surface water (i.e. rainwater runoff) washing it into the street sewers. Just walk around Ballard, Belltown, Fremont, etc. on a Saturday morning and you will see that the sidewalks are LITTERED with cig butts. Where do you think that stuff goes when it rains?! Ban or no ban, it’s clear that people do continue to smoke and to litter. The question should be how do we get smokers to STOP littering? PSAs with photos and stats of the horrible shoreline litter? Free portable ashtrays handed out in Belltown on weekends? Ban smoking in parks all you want but it will be a drop in the bucket from a litter perspective.

smokeythebear March 20, 2015 (5:09 pm)

@Greeny Arrogance? Speak for your-sensationalist-self. If its so bad you have every right to pack it up and visit a different park. Entitled are we? Pleasantly opinionated too, bonus points for that.

@Bradley Pot is legal buddy, get over it. I’ll give it a rest on the bench whilst enjoying the view and savoring the toke. Thanks for your concern.

@anonyme “Cesspool?” Hardly. Portlands a great city just south of Seattle, they’d love to have you. If you dont like it here and you truly feel that way, MOVE. Take Greeny with you too.

@smokerr Great points. Cant we all just get along?!

A great weekend to you all! -STB

au March 21, 2015 (12:32 pm)

true that, highlandpark, a whiff of gross cig smoke in the park is so ephemeral compared to the trashing of our waterways and grounds with cig butts litter.

parks are open spaces and it isn’t difficult to get yourself not down wind from smoke, be that cig, herb, bbq, exhaust, whatever.
really i’ve never had to move my entire family because of one or two people lighting up in a park. and actually if it came to that i imagine i would strike up a conversation. i find when i talk to people with respect its usually mirrored back at me.
now public sidewalks where 10 plus people are huddled around sucking away, yes, i’ve had to take my children into the street because the smokers felt it was there right to block the sidewalk while creating clouds of smoke.
get people off smoking in groups on sidewalks.

A reasonable solution to me would be to let people smoke in private businesses and open spaces. Make it socially unacceptable to litter and provide an easy way to not litter.

we cannot ban our way into a civil society

(required) March 21, 2015 (12:53 pm)

Cigarette butts are everywhere. Our children will garden and find them, people freely flick them out of vehicle windows, they walk down the street and just toss them.
*
Solution?
*
Have the legislature pass a law that creates a cause of action in average citizens, to give them standing to sue someone they can prove tossed a cigarette butt. Make the damages set at a fixed amount, say, $250, plus attorney’s fees and costs. I bet there are enough people who care about this problem — albeit, perhaps with too much time on their hands — to take action. The truth is, we can’t rely on police to spend time on this kind of enforcement. Civil actions by citizens is a real thing to consider. it would definitely make someone think twice before dumping their butts.
*
Anyone up to make an initiative or referendum on this? Our legislators won’t have the balls or the will to pass this — what say you?

ellenater March 21, 2015 (5:55 pm)

Many good points!

I really think that, rather than legislating everything, it might be better to start a “no butts” campaign: advertising, get businesses to put out ashtrays, and make THAT the issue. If you need to shame people, shame them for littering and not for smoking. If it is a helpful movement that many people can be a part of, it would also raise other’s awareness about smoking. I think a lot of people probably just don’t think of it. Making those people out to be jerks or the bad guys is just going to create a lot of contention.

I was at a park in Sequim once that had a sign with litter pieces attached to it, along with how long the items took to decompose in a landfill. It really stuck with me and completely changed the way I view trash. One sign! If there was a sign like that, with facts about butts and how they hurt things, and maybe that gross picture of the butts from Alki, I bet that would affect a lot more people than a law. And
a respectful conversation goes a long way towards building a bridge. There will always be smokers who don’t care, but the majority do. Most are just wrapped up in their own lives and need to be brought to a bigger awareness, just like any other group of people.

Northwest March 21, 2015 (7:19 pm)

Someone start a meet up group on this please a facebook page to join whatever but I would like to be involved as I have already on my own engaged with smokers in the junction ,respectfully, about littering butts. I also like the idea of signage and education where smokers smoke that’s basically available for them to look over informing them of cigarette litter its damaging effects. I am willing to spend an hour or two with my nifty dustpan and broom aswell. Let’s get this going before the population here really increases let others lead by example. We can at least try.

Bradley March 22, 2015 (5:02 pm)

@smokeythebear: it is illegal to smoke pot in public in our entire state, regardless of your poor attitude.

sam-c March 22, 2015 (7:28 pm)

I think that this is kinda pointless if it will not be enforced.
I agree with the recommendation above to promote throwing away your butts.

Smoking outside is obnoxious if you can’t get away from it, ie, the woman who came and sat next to us right when the West Seattle parade started. (this past summer). She sat next to us, our kids, some friends, etc and smoked for about 20 minutes. It was awful.

I personally get annoyed when people smoke in their cars and the smoke gets sucked into our car’s AC. you turn the AC off, roll down the windows to air it out, and your still behind the stink. But of course you could never ban smoking in people’s personal cars.

But there was this one guy smoking outside a bar in Admiral. (right next to our car). When we walked by him to get in our car, he apologized. That was nice, but it really didn’t bother me since we were walking by and not standing around in his smoke.

Marge Evans March 23, 2015 (1:07 pm)

I don’t smoke but I am not for this. For me the hurts the homeless. Where are they supposed to go.

Krista March 23, 2015 (9:11 pm)

As someone with asthmatic lungs I would greatly favor having smoking prohibited in our parks. I love our parks and spend a large amount of my spare time enjoying them but I must always have my rescue inhaler with me. So many people smoke in Seattle, both cigs and weed and even a small amount of smoke has me gasping. I just told my boyfriend a couple of months ago that I would love to smell only the fresh sea air while at any of our parks.

Thomas M. March 24, 2015 (11:11 am)

Homeless? These guys blow $300 a month on cigarettes and you are worried about the effect on them? Why should everyone else suffer the stink because they choose to waste their scant resources on toxic materials like alcohol and nicotine? Besides, they can still smoke, they just shouldn’t do it in parks… and neither should we.