Deseret News | Reader comments: Springville bans smoking in parks

Reader comments
Springville bans smoking in parks

Good Thinking | 7:03 a.m. July 7, 2008

Good Job Springville

Enforcement | 7:20 a.m. July 7, 2008

Good luck enforcing this.

??? | 7:59 a.m. July 7, 2008

"30 minutes of exposure to secondhand smoke made an individual's risk of suffering a fatal heart attack higher than that of a smoker." ?

Comments continue below

Health Professional | 8:42 a.m. July 7, 2008

I congratulate Springville for being ahead of the curve. I wonder why Utah County doesn't ban it altogether...seems like normally progressive Utah county is behind the curve on this one.

5k'er | 10:27 a.m. July 7, 2008

Congratulations for the successful bans. I can't wait to jog through the parks without smoke entering my breathing air. I hope smokers will go around to the parks and pick up their cigarette butts, too. There are trees with shrines seemingly dedicated to the disposal of cigarette refuse.

AGAIN CONGRATULATIONS. WAY TO GO SPRINGVILLE!

Pete | 10:32 a.m. July 7, 2008

I see some areas of Utah are well ahead of the curve. Unfortunately I still visit areas of the country that allow indoor smoking almost everywhere. It's almost like being sent back to the dark ages in a time machine. And of course these areas generally are some of the least healthy areas of the country. Indoor smoking should be banned in all workplaces across the nation.

uncannygunman | 10:45 a.m. July 7, 2008

"Tischler also told the council that 30 minutes of exposure to secondhand smoke made an individual's risk of suffering a fatal heart attack higher than that of a smoker."

This is craziness! We shouldn't give up our freedoms based on such blatant misinformation. Who is dumb enough to believe that being near a smoker, outdoors no less, for a few minutes is more dangerous than smoking yourself?

Red Devil Pride | 11:21 a.m. July 7, 2008

Reading this article made me proud to be from Springville! I am thrilled to hear that Springville is setting the example in Utah County and hope that other communities will follow suit to create more smokefree ordinances.

Anti smoking | 11:25 a.m. July 7, 2008

Thanks Springville for taking the lead in Utah County to ban smoking from parks, etc.! Too bad Provo hasn't adopted this yet, it would be a good addition to the Freedom Festival next year...I saw several people smoking and it was very bothersome to all of us that were there...accommodate the majority!

awesome | 11:27 a.m. July 7, 2008

Congratulations Springville! Hopefully the rest of the county will follow the trend you have set to protect the health of those who choose not to use tobacco!

MoJules | 11:58 a.m. July 7, 2008

Sometimes we pay the price for our "bad" habits. I agree 100% to ban the smoking, I wish that it would be banned on public streets and in cars. I know that sounds selfish, but right now my lungs are not really happy and I will get a severe asthma attack just walking past a person with the smell of smoke on them. But even though I don't like what the airlines are thinking about doing, charing extra for obese people, in all honesty it is fair. I am 70 pounds overweight and because I have a bad habit of not caring for myself, I should own the consequences. Now, to the airports on this, if you are going to charge more for overweight, then you should charge half price for young children. They should charge in 50 pound increments, but back to smokers, I do not dislike you because you smoke, but it affects my health. We all tend to need to pass gas at times, but we really refrain from doing that in public, smokers need to refrain from passing these odors and fumes to others. I spent 12 years in Springville, it is a wonderful town.

Deja | 12:02 p.m. July 7, 2008

Of course the idea of "thousands of chemicals" can itself sound spooky. Perhaps it would help to note that coffee contains over 1000 chemicals, 19 of which are known to be rat carcinogens.
-"Rodent Carcinogens: Setting Priorities" Gold Et Al., Science, 258: 261-65 (1992)

OSHA Study | 12:10 p.m. July 7, 2008

"We posit a sealed, unventilated enclosure that is 20 feet square with a 9 foot ceiling clearance.

"Taking the figures for ETS yields per cigarette directly from the EPA, we calculated the number of cigarettes that would be required to reach the lowest published "danger" threshold for each of these substances. The results are actually quite amusing. In fact, it is difficult to imagine a situation where these threshold limits could be realized.

"For Benzo[a]pyrene, 222,000 cigarettes would be required to reach the lowest published "danger" threshold.

"For Acetone, 118,000 cigarettes would be required.

"Toluene would require 50,000 packs of simultaneously smoldering cigarettes.

"At the lower end of the scale-- in the case of Acetaldehyde or Hydrazine, more than 14,000 smokers would need to light up simultaneously in our little room to reach the threshold at which they might begin to pose a danger.

"For Hydroquinone, "only" 1250 cigarettes are required. Perhaps we could post a notice limiting this 20-foot square room to 300 rather tightly-packed people smoking no more than 62 packs per hour?

"It becomes increasingly clear to us that ETS is a political, rather than scientific, scapegoat."

Re: OSHA Study | 12:45 p.m. July 7, 2008

Chemicals aside, my son has breathing difficulties when we walk by a smoker because the increase in pollutant particles in the air causes his airways to close up. Yes we have an emergency inhaler...but he wouldn't have to use it so often if smokers were courteous toward other people regarding their habit.

Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS), aka secondhand smoke, is a nuisance and can be easily fixed. VERY PREVENTABLE.

So don't just assume the chemicals are the only thing hurting the smoker. The non-smokers have a legitimate claim. I am glad bars and clubs will be smoke free by January 1, 2009. Kudos to Springville for getting out in front of the Utah County curve. :-)

SoccerMom | 1:03 p.m. July 7, 2008

Wonderful news! It has always been so annoying trying to enjoy my son's game while chocking on the stink of smoke from people who have no respect for my need for clean air in my lungs! Now, I hope there is someone out there actually enforcing the law! :)

RE: OSHA Study | 1:13 p.m. July 7, 2008

Would you like to volunteer and sit in that "little" room with just the smoke of 10 cigarettes for 1 hour? Thought not...

Re: OSHA Study | 1:46 p.m. July 7, 2008

Is smoking stinky? yes. Is it rude to smoke around other people? maybe. But just because some don't like to be around it is not enough reason to ban it. Should we ban ugly fat people just because some hate to look at them? The smoking ban should be based on scientific evidence, not the whims of those in authority, and that isn't the case. The only evidence we are hearing is that which is in the best interests of Big Pharma (nic. patches), and Big Brother.

@ RE:Osha Study | 1:49 p.m. July 7, 2008

I have problems with smoke but also with perfumes, scented candles and potpourri in stores. When will they be banning these items for those of us who need an inhailer just to make it down the isle???

If your going to have clean air laws, lets not stop with smoking, lets get all those things that make it hard for those of us with breathing problems.

Amazing | 2:11 p.m. July 7, 2008

I detest smoking. I don't know why, with the knowledge we have about the affects of smoking, people start smoking.

For a nation that expounds freedom. we sure like to take freedoms away.

On the count of three. One, two three: American is the home of the free!

Smokers | 4:26 p.m. July 7, 2008

If you smoke, you stink. Just like most of us don't want the middle of a park used as a landfill, we don't want the middle of a park to be clouded with the stink that smokers put out.

RE: smokers | 4:49 p.m. July 7, 2008

NOt to mention all the cigarette butts they leave around.

Why aren't they capable of putting them in the garbage?

There is not one good thing about smoking, period, whether yu ahve your freedom or not.

Brother Chuck Schroeder | 5:10 p.m. July 7, 2008

We need less Government in our life, not more. What a bunch of garbage here, against free angency to, smoking tobacco bans, the (socialist utopian PC Thought Police Dem's) city approved an ordinance prohibiting smoking in public parks, a violation of the ordinance would result in an infraction punishable by a $25 fine or a warning as determined by law enforcement (law enforcement is not a criminal Judge and can't rule on what's right and what's wrong). What if this was the case, city approved an ordinance prohibiting drinking coffee and energy drinks in public parks, a violation of the ordinance would result in an infraction punishable by a $25 fine or a warning as determined by law enforcement, you would start a feeding frenzy of OH - NO's they can't do that us us. I say let them smoke and blow smoke-rings on the noses of all whiner non-smokers in the open in all parks. Watch the cops try to enforcement-this-law, they have to catch em in the act first, all while letting real criminal's run free and other crime's go up while watching a poor smoker. Your all nuts.

hi elmer | 5:49 p.m. July 7, 2008

"Hi Elmer, what cha in for?"
"Got busted smokn a Camel in Springville."
"You're on drugs aren't yah. Seriously, what got cha jail?"
"I tell yah: smokn an old camel in Springville!!!"

"Elmer, you really are a funny guy. Next you will be telling me that you can't buy a cigarette in Utah County."

"Don't count on it, my friend. The nuts are loose and they have God on their side. Now I will have to chew and spit instead. That should fire'em up"

Re: hi elmer | 7:22 p.m. July 7, 2008

You hit the nail right on its head.

So to did Brother Schroeder.

I also say let them smoke and blow smoke-rings on the noses of all whiner non-smokers in the open in all parks.

GIT-R-DONE - chew and spit instead. That should fire'em up ya'll.

Put the flip=flop on the other foot now to ya'll.

Than we can say to them, "what cha in for?" -
"Got busted with an ordinance prohibiting drinking coffee and energy drinks and beer n stuff in public parks, in Springville.

lady Red DeVil | 8:52 a.m. July 8, 2008

Big up Springville! That's my town and I am so happy they took it all the way to an ordinance. Please don't compare smoking to fat people, ugly people or passing gas because it makes no sense at all. Some say we need less government in our lives...Why? When you care about something, the govn't is the first person you want on your side. You don't seem mad when they made a law about homicide. And I care about my life, and avoiding cancer causing agents in the air.

Emphysema | 1:10 p.m. July 8, 2008

I think it is just as offensive sitting at a stop light behind a smoker, if they have their window down blowing their smoke out their window and it comes in my car, then I have to smell it too, THEN they flick their still lit butt out the window. If you are going to smoke roll up your window and keep your butt inside your car. Be courteous to others around you and it would help.

My father-in-law died from Emphysema six years ago at the age of 72. He smoked 1 to 2 packs of Camels most of his life, until and I told him he couldn't smoke around his grandson. He flat out quit when my son was 2, but he died when our son was 12. I'm really glad he quit when he did because we got 10 more years with him, but we still miss him every single day.

I'm glad Springville has stepped in, now enforce it!

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