Park Board was right to rescind smoking ban
The Spokesman-Review
The Spokane Park Board has reversed its springtime decision to phase in an outright ban on smoking in parks. The practical effect of this unanimous vote is negligible. There was no great effort to enforce it, anyway. The police and parks staff – both stretched thin – have better things to do.
In hitting the reset button, the board has returned to the old regulations. Parks will have designated Tobacco Free Zones in and around areas where children congregate, with signage and peer pressure as the enforcement mechanisms. Enforcement by peers might be more apt to happen now that it is clear that public authorities won’t be showing up.
Some may scoff at the notion of peer pressure being effective, but societal attitudes have shifted significantly over the years. House guests don’t think twice about heading outside for a cigarette. Most wouldn’t dream of lighting up inside without asking. Workers who smoke know the drill: Head for that out-of-the way space designated by their employers. Restaurant and bar patrons have been similarly conditioned by peers and changes in the law.
Complaints about cigarette littering in parks are legitimate, but there are laws that address that.
No community has ever really solved the issue of enforcement. Last week, the city of Wenatchee extended a discussion on smoking restrictions in parks. The police department worries that once it is saddled with enforcement, it would have to field complaints when it has more important things to do. Puyallup has a ban that comes with a $1,000 fine. As of July, nobody had paid it. Does that mean nobody ever smokes in Puyallup parks? Of course not. Tacoma is also wrestling with the issue.
As long as there are larger criminal issues than the nuisance of cigarette smoke at parks, outright bans will not be effectively enforced. And laws that lack any genuine enforcement threat breed disrespect for the law in general. The Park Board has made a reasonable decision in reversing its ban.
The more realistic and honest solution involves public education campaigns, gentle persuasion, stern glares and clear signs. Given time, those combined forces will greatly diminish the problem.