Boulder Considers Increasing Its Smoking Ban
BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4) - A city with one of the state's more stringent smoking bans is considering further restrictions.
The city has asked the city council to discuss increased smoking prohibitions during a study session on Sept. 23. The ban would affect parks, open spaces, more of downtown and even some sidewalks.
"I think people are entitled to a smoke-free context," Boulder Mayor Matt Appelbaum said.
Smoking is already banned on the popular pedestrian Pearl Street Mall.
"It makes me think that it's going to be hard to smoke cigarettes anywhere, so I might have to quit smoking," resident Adam Monarch said. "To eliminate it completely from the city is not just weird but over the top."
But Appelbaum said that smoking will still be allowed in many parts of the city and that Boulder is actually behind many Colorado cities.
"People can smoke elsewhere. They can smoke on their private property. They can smoke in the vast majority of the city. It's not really taking away much of their right. But it is giving a much more livable and healthy city back to the much broader community," he said.
LINK: Boulder City Council study session on smoking ban
The ordinance would ban cigarettes, cigars, pipes and e-cigarettes, among other types of smoking.
The ban would affect many areas of the city, but some would be excluded:
* The city staff is recommending Boulder ban smoking on all open space and mountain parks properties, including trails.
"A lack of second hand smoke will enhance the visitor experience and an absolute prohibition on smoking will help mitigate a potential fire hazard," reads in part a memo that will be discussed at the study session.
* The city would also prohibit smoking on all parks the city owns, maintains and leases, with the exception of Flatirons Golf Course. The management at the course said a ban would negatively impact its revenue.
* Smoking would also initially not be banned at Chautauqua, an open space park in the southwest area of the city. The memo said implementation -- not desire -- of a ban was the issue.
* The ban would be extended in downtown Boulder, where smoking is already prohibited. Business-heavy areas would be included in the ban, but members of the city's business community said it should be able to accommodate employees who smoke. The city staff amended its approach to exclude alleyways.
* Transit facilities, including bus stops, would be included in the ban. Also affected would be multi-use path, including some sidewalks.
* Leased facilities like the Dairy Center for the Arts, the Boulder History Museum and the BMoCA told the city they support expanding smoking bans on their properties.
