North Las Vegas limits smoking in public parks, recreation areas

The North Las Vegas City Council on Wednesday unanimously passed an ordinance banning smoking in some areas of public parks and recreation areas.

Effective as of the vote, smoking and the use of electronic cigarettes will be banned within 100 feet of athletic and spectator areas, restrooms, recreation facility entrances and playgrounds.

Signs will be in place at public recreation areas by July 1, Ward 3 Councilman Scott Black said.

The ordinance has received praise from both the Southern Nevada Health District and the American Lung Association in Nevada.

Cass Palmer, director of parks and recreation, told council members that the goal was to protect children from secondhand smoke.

Black said during the meeting that the ordinance will be enforceable by fines and jail time, but the city does not intend to heavily police it. Instead, he hopes people will enforce the rule on their own.

“It’s really a matter, I think, of elevating the quality of our parks, elevating the experience for our parkgoers, and lastly and most importantly, elevating the healthy nature of why you go to the park in the first place,” he said.

Contact Blake Apgar at bapgar@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5298. Follow @blakeapgar on Twitter.