The West Valley City Council is considering a ban on smoking in parks and recreational areas. It's a sound proposal backed by science and likely, the preferences of West Valley residents.

The health hazards of second-hand smoke are well established. "There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke," a U.S. Surgeon General's report has concluded. There's sound science behind the City Council's proposal. There is also a good deal of common sense. What's the point of communities pouring millions into building baseball diamonds, soccer fields and parks that enhance residents' health and well-being but to subject users to harmful cigarette smoke?

West Valley City would be in good company if it were to enact such a ban. Salt Lake City, Sandy, South Jordan, Murray and Herriman have stamped out smoking in parks and recreational areas. The Davis County Board of Health approved a countywide smoking ban in public places effective Jan. 1, 2008. Clinton was the first Utah city to level such restrictions back in 2003.

In West Valley City's case, the city would permit smoking at the city's two golf courses under the reasoning that nonsmokers likely would not be affected by smokers playing at holes ahead or behind them. This appears to be a reasonable accommodation.

Increasingly, federal, state and local regulation has squeezed smoking out of public life. The reason for these rules is the mountain of medical evidence over the health risks of smoking and the hazards of second-hand smoke.

The goal, obviously, is to encourage smokers to give up the habit. Any more, about the only place people can smoke without facing some sort of sanction is their homes or their automobiles. Although in recent years, a legislative proposal to ban smoking in cars when children are present surfaced out of concerns about second-hand smoke resulting in "premature death and disease" in children and non-smoking adults, according to the Surgeon General.

West Valley City's proposed ordinance doesn't go that far. But credit the City Council for its efforts to implement a very important public health measure.