Yorktown Town Board Bans Smoking, Vaping on Town Property
Smoking and vaping in Yorktown’s parks and recreational fields are banned under a new law.
On Tuesday the Town Board voted to ban the use of tobacco and nicotine products at all town property. All smokers must remain at least 50 feet from the perimeter of a town building, park or recreational facility.
“Everyone has the right to breathe clean air,” said Supervisor Matt Slater. “The dangers of smoking and second-hand smoke are well documented by science. The expanded smoking ban will protect the non-smoking public’s health, as well as the health of our non-smoking town employees.”
Parks Commissioner Patrick Cumiskey told the Town Board that he has advocated for a smoking ban in parks for the past five years since an aggressive smoker refused to extinguish his cigar or move at an outdoor town concert.
“Since then I’ve been watching it happen often where people come to the different parks I go to with my family, or especially at the concerts where people come in and smoke,” said Commissioner Cumiskey. “I’m not anti-smoking. Everybody has a right to smoke. But I believe everybody else has a right to fresh, clean air, especially when we’re trying to enjoy the outside parks and recreation jewels that we have in our community.”
Smokers who violate the new town ordinance may be charged with a violation and face a $100 fine.
Kyra Brunner, a volunteer coordinator with the Yorktown Alliance for Safe Kids, told the Town Board that she supported the scope of the ban.
“It is also appreciated that the ban is not just for tobacco products, but electronic cigarettes and other vaping devices such as Juuls,” said Brunner. “Nicotine has adverse effects on the developing teen brain and in addition there is still startling information that’s coming out about the effects of vaping.”
Yorktown’s new smoking ban only applies to town parks and property. Parks in Yorktown operated by the county and state may have different smoking rules.
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