Over Some Objections, Township Prohibits Smoking in Parks

The township passed a law at its meeting Thursday prohibiting smoking in all areas of its municipal parks and within 50 feet of its municipal building.

The adoption was not without some controversy. Committee member Bailey Brower and township resident Mel Rinehart said they opposed the law, saying they did not favor such government regulations. But others at the meeting said they supported the measure and said it was important to create a smoke free environment throughout towns.

Karen Blumenfeld, who is the policy and legal advisor for New Jersey GASP, a group that promotes a smokefree atmosphere, said government must play a role in reducing smoking.

"We rely on you to create policies that encourage people not to start smoking," she said.

Mayor Nicole Hagner and committee members William O'Connor, Kevin Tubbs and Robert Gallop voted for the ordinance.

Gallop said it was fair for the township to create laws that would protect children playing in parks.

"We're not coming into your house and saying you can't smoke," Gallop said.

But not everyone was convinced. Rinehart said he wasn't in favor of people smoking, but said he felt there was too much government regulation in the world.

"Tomorrow we're going to have children stop eating Jello," he said sarcastically. "If somebody wants to smoke and I don't like it, I walk away."

Brower said he felt the same.

"Once you get into this area, look out—it's a very dangerous area," he said. "That's why I'm opposed to the concept, not the result."

He was the only township committee member to vote against the ordinance.

But in the end, there were more people who favored the law than there were who opposed it. Hagner said this is an important thing for the township to regulate, though she said she felt it cannot regulate everything.

"We call them as we see them," said Gallop. "And this is an easy one to call."