You Can Smoke in East River Park Again
East River State Park, soon with more smoking. Via Free Williamsburg
A judge ordered New York State’s parks department to stop enforcing its ban on outdoor smoking, CBS reports. The prohibition on puffing had gone into effect in February, when the state nixed al fresco tobacco-toking in its greenspaces and on its beaches in an effort to protect parkgoers and sun-worshippers from second-hand smoke. But a state supreme court judge has said that rule exceeds the office’s authority, as the state legislature has failed to pass any legislation that would go after out-of-doors cigarette-sucking. What does this mean for you?
The only state park in Brooklyn is Williamsburg’s East River Park, which means smokers can hurry there now with this article called up on their smartphones to show any official who tries to turn you back to Kent Avenue with that lighted cigarette—at least until the Senate and Assembly pass a bill banning smoking in state parks, or a more powerful judge tells this judge to shove it. See a full list of parks, beaches and other spaces affected in the city and the rest of the state here.
The ban on smoking in city parks still stands and was not challenged in the tobacco-advocates’ lawsuit, meaning you still can’t smoke in pretty much all of the public outdoor spaces in New York.
Follow Henry Stewart on Twitter @henrycstewart
