City Spreading Word On Smoke-Free Zones

Young moms Shiho Osumi and Sarita Rich were pleased that their 15-month-olds could play without breathing in tobacco smoke at East Rock Park’s College Woods playground. The didn’t know that a new law is keeping the park smoke-free.

No signs were posted telling smokers about the new city law that has made kids’ playing areas in town tobacco-free, City Ordinance Number OR-2015 – 0010. Many people are unaware of the law.

So the city’s health and parks departments are trying to get the word out. They’ve hung banners across the city’s major avenues. New signs are coming to the city’s playgrounds in coming weeks.

The ordinance, which was enacted back in May, bans the use of all forms of tobacco in ​“city-owned or operated school grounds, sports fields, playgrounds, Lighthouse Point Park, and city-owned buildings.”

Health Department Program Director Brooke Logan said that in addition to banners and signs, other information efforts are in the works.

They include letters going home with school kids informing their families about the law specifically as it relates to school grounds; palm card distribution at the parks on holidays; public service announcements, and articles in city and other employee newsletters.

The law calls for violators to receive a warning. Persistent violations bring a fine of no more than $100.

As the ordinance is written, only New Haven police officers can do the enforcing, although the idea of the posted signs is to ​“empower” playground users, for example, to go up to violators and kindly ask them to put out the butts.

“One of the great things about the ordinance and signs is that in addition to formal enforcement, it does help park goers self-police,” stated parks Director Rebecca Bombero.

Bombero reported that she has so far informally ​“received many positive reactions” about the law.

“Prior to the proposal and passage of this I heard from several moms and from those involved in several youth sports leagues that they wanted signs so that they can politely ask others not to smoke around their kids,” Bombero added.

Would You ​“Self-Police”?

An informal tour of several parks and playgrounds on a recent sunny gorgeous park-perfect day found universal approval for the ban.

It also yielded mixed results about how many people would go up to smokers in violation and ask them to cease.

Osumi and Rich, the two young moms at College Woods East Rock Park, both averred that sign or no sign, it’s not in their personalities to go up to strangers and ask them to to stop smoking.

Tiffany Beech (pictured), who had just finished pushing her young son Cai on the nearby swings, said that she’s a blunt and outspoken person who would have no problem with doing exactly that.

“If they’re over there,” she said, pointing to an area far away from the playground, ​“and I’m over here, it’s OK. But if I can smell the cigarette, I’d go over and tell them. I’m outspoken. Second-hand smoke is really bad. It’s a good ordinance,” she said.

One of the challenges of the city’s information campaign and signage is to make clear that smoking in parks as a whole is not forbidden.

“The ordinance, as it was passed includes [a tobacco ban in] all sports fields, playgrounds, and at the beach at Lighthouse,” Bombero clarified.

Non-playground or non-sports field areas are still open for smoking.

Jerry Topitzer (pictured), who was out walking his Louisiana Leopard dog named Bernie (not Sanders, he said) at College Woods, praised the ordinance and planned signage. ​“People are killing themselves smoking, and there are a lot of people puffing away,” said the retired Catholic Charities social worker.

Would he go up to a violating smoker? The answer was yes, and the signs will help. ​“Those signs, the law, would probably save lives,” he added.

Over at Longobardi Field, another dog owner, Jason Harris (pictured), was out walking his boxer named Toni. Harris was ambling by one of the largest expanses of green in the city, adjacent to the Clinton Avenue School near Peck Street. At three corners of the large grassed are play baseball fields and a basketball court.

Harris had heard nothing of the law, but endorsed it thoroughly when it was explained by a reporter. A smoker, he said he never lights up around kids.

Which was good news to the Torres cousins, 16-year-old Edwin and 13-year-old Julian. They had just come from shooting hoops at the far end of the field.

Edwin, who goes to school at Eli Whitney Technical High School, said in general he has never noticed people smoking around the courts where he plays. ​“Whoever’s trying to be an athlete, he’s not going to be smoking, and little kids shouldn’t see it,” he said.

Over on the climbing gym and slides at Dover Beach Park, grandfather Tom Sheehan was trying to keep up with the 6 and 4‑year-old whom he has in his charge five days a week from 1:30 to 5:30.

While the kids played, Sheehan checked his watch for when it was time to take them over to their dance class at Erector Square. e said it was his impression that a no-smoking rule was already in effect.

He doesn’t want second-hand smoke around the kids. But he was, well, philosophical about whether he’d approach a violating smoker, sign or no sign.

His answer: Maybe, ​“if he didn’t look too rough.” He pointed out that in his experience smokers can be passionate about their rights, as can anti-smokers.

The issue of enforcement is going to be addressed later this month when the city’s Tobacco-Free New Haven Steering Committee meets at City Hall, on Dec. 18, said Logan.

That group, comprised of representatives from the parks and health departments, and community services, has on its agenda who, in addition to the police, might be officially and legally empowered to help enforce the ordinance.

For example, park rangers?

The ordinance ​“leaves the door open [for others besides the police to enforce], but we would have to make changes other places in the ordinance to spell out who other than the police,” Bombero wrote in an email response.