Parents and visitors will have to keep smoking urges under control or outside playground and special event park perimeters, according to a proposed ordinance. A smoking ban is reported to come to Frederick city parks in areas designated for audience seating and child’s play.
Karen Young, an Alderwoman on the Board of Aldermen, says the primary focus of the ban is meant to protect children from secondhand smoke. This ban will also apply to other uses of legal smoking materials, such as synthetic marijuana. If anyone is caught littering their cigarette butts or smoking in a banned area, they could face a $25 fine. Joleen Hart, a volunteer park enforcement agent for the city said, “We want people to enjoy the parks.” A hearing date for the ordinance has not been set.
