L.I. Village Bans Smoking On Public Sidewalks
GREAT NECK, N.Y. (AP / WCBS 880/ 1010 WINS) -- A tiny village on Long Island's "gold coast" is banning smoking on public sidewalks.
Podcast
WCBS 880's Sophia Hall reports
The Great Neck village board approved the ban at a meeting Tuesday night. It claims to be the first municipality in the state to enact such a restriction.
Mayor Ralph J. Kreitzman said the ban was enacted after officials got complaints about smokers standing outside stores in the village. He said the law will also benefit pedestrians who might have been subjected to second-hand smoke.
"We've been told that there is no constitutional right to smoke therefore we have banned it on our public sidewalks obviously we're not banning smoking totally," Kreitzman told 1010 WINS.
Kreitzman said violators found smoking on sidewalks in the 1.2-square-mile village could face fines of up to $1,000.
Neighboring New York City is currently considering a smoking ban in parks and pedestrian plazas.
