News: Long Island Ban On Outdoor Smoking
(Long Island, N.Y.) A bill that would prevent public outdoor smoking at ticketing, boarding, and platform areas of railroads on Long Island has been given to the governor for consideration. This initiative comes after the New York City ban of smoking outdoors in areas like Central Park and Manhattan beaches. The recent legislation illustrates that smoking bans in the tri-state area have expanded to many more settings over a few years’ time.
The State Senate convened on Thursday to take final steps in the bill’s legislative approval. The bill was passed in the assembly, and New York City and New Jersey have already adopted similar laws. Smoking is banned in a variety of places ranging from restaurants to subway stations.
Proponents of the bill have claimed that secondhand smoke has plagued the lungs of nonsmokers while they travel using Long Island railways. They claimed that the health benefits of making public areas smoke-free have been successfully recognized in recent years. The air quality is among the concerns for proponents of the bill, along with the necessity of making daily commutes pleasant and less stressful for nonsmokers.
Opponents of the bill and a vast amount of Long Island smokers have claimed that there is an important flipside to the legislation. Reports stated that they have felt targeted by the recent bans, claiming that their lives have become more stressful as a result of the prohibitions. In addition to such viewpoints, they have claimed that arguments could ensue among smokers and civilian commuters who take it upon themselves to enforce the bill.
Supporters of the bill include the Metropolitan Transit Authority, which joins the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North in being affected by the legislation. The possible signature of the governor will turn the bill into a law, which is good news for the American Lung Association and American Cancer Society. Such organizations claim that the only way to protect nonsmokers is to eliminate the source of smoke, and that crowded public areas increase the health issues for those with asthma, heart, and respiratory problems.
Reports stated that the American Lung Association estimated that 3,400 nonsmokers die each year from secondhand smoke. The New York State Department of Health has claimed that secondhand smoke kills 2,500 New Yorkers a year. Such shocking statistics were among the reasons a republican senator from Merrick has sponsored the latest bill.
According to reports, the same senator also authored the 2003 Clean Indoor Air Act. The 2003 New York City smoking ban prohibited smoking in areas that served food and/or alcohol. Nonetheless, reports stated that certain clauses have allowed smoking in cigar bars. In response to the string of recent New York smoking bans, residents in other areas have expressed the desire to extend bans into certain bus terminals.
