No more grabbing a smoke at a park in Clayton County.
The Clayton County Commission voted unanimously Tuesday night to ban all tobacco products from county parks and recreation facilities. The ban is effective immediately, County Commission Chairman Eldrin Bell said.
That means no celebrating a softball game win with a cigar and no chewing tobacco while watching a child's soccer game. Violators will be warned first and then fined.
"I'm against smoking anywhere, but the desire is to have nonsmoking around children," Bell said Wednesday.
Smoking was already prohibited in county buildings and alcohol is also banned in Clayton parks, unless the commission issues a special permit.
Youth baseball coach Jay Burton asked the commission for the ban after seeing too many parents smoking near the ball fields.
"Over at the parks you have people who smoke at the stands. The smoke will blow into the dugout or across the field," said Burton, a Rex resident for 21 years. "You can smell it."
Burton said he teaches his sons — ages 11 and 13 — to turn down tobacco, but it's tough setting an example for children when it's in the stands. He also worries about the health risks to his boys and their friends.
The ban is designed to protect people from second-hand smoke, which increases the risk of heart disease, cancer, emphysema and other diseases, according to the ordinance.
"It's more about keeping our parks safe and conducive for everybody," Commissioner Sonna Singleton said.
Bell said he voted in support of the ban, but has some questions about residents smoking in their personal vehicles in a county park.
"Personally I think that's going a bit far to try and police what people do in their own vehicles," he said. "But that's a question that has to be answered by courts."
Henry, Coweta and Clarke counties, along with the cities of Kennesaw and Douglasville, already have bans on smoking in parks.
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