A ban on smoking is public parks deserves applause.
Council adopted a bylaw and set a fine of $100 for those caught smoking cigarettes and vapes in public parks.
Although there are some that will undoubtedly feel that this is limiting their enjoyment in public spaces, the truth is they’ve been ruining many people’s enjoyment for a long time.
Tobacco smoke contains a deadly mixture of more than 7,000 chemicals about 70 of those have been identified as cancer causing.
Even though parks are obviously outside and no one is trapped breathing in second smoke people do still breathe it in.
A playground, public pool and outdoor exercise equipment can all be found in Keremeos parks. Those that want to enjoy those things shouldn’t have to be subjected to second-hand smoke.
It’s estimated that each day 100 Canadians die of a smoking-related illness.
For those that choose to quit being around people smoking can be a huge trigger.
Is it fair that while they are at the park enjoying the outdoors or getting some exercise they should have to deal with people who smoke?
Physicians say for many people it takes five to seven attempts to quit smoking but for some it can take up to 30 tries.
Some people think banning vapes in parks is silly as it’s not smoking and there is no concrete evidence to suggest it has ill effects. But the flip to that coin is also true. There is no concrete evidence that it doesn’t.
Do we want to allow vaping and normalize that behaviour in places where our children play when we don’t know for sure how it might affect them long term?
People who are upset about the ban need to ask themselves why they feel so entitled that they can’t smoke somewhere else instead of asking everyone else to deal with their habit while in a public park.
-T.B.