SpringfieldNewsSun.com

Smoking in park now a matter for Urbana council

In Urbana, some people are smoking, and others are fuming.

That community has endured a long-running dispute over whether people should be allowed to smoke in areas of public parks where people gather. Some parents say they can't watch their children's games because of the cigarette smoke wafting over the stands. Some smokers say they should have the right to light up in an open-air, public place. The controversy has reached the point that the City Council has been asked to craft an ordinance to resolve the issue.

Last Tuesday, the council reviewed a sample ordinance that would ban smoking on playing fields, playgrounds, bleacher areas, team seating and concession and restroom areas in all city parks. This Tuesday, the council is expected to formulate an ordinance for later action.

Restricting smoking in gathering places for groups of people, especially children, does promote better public health. Secondhand smoke – the smoke given off by other people's tobacco use – has been established as a health hazard in its own right. The National Cancer Institute has estimated that 3,000 lung cancer deaths occur each year among adult nonsmokers in the United States as a result of exposure to secondhand smoke. In addition, secondhand smoke is linked to or aggravates other cancers, respiratory infections, chronic heart disease and other illnesses and syndromes.

With that information, it seems reasonable to ask smokers to walk over to designated areas for the few minutes it takes to puff a cigarette. That minor inconvenience pales beside the health needs of other people, especially children, who can be even more susceptible than adults to the ill effects of smoke. A well-constructed ordinance that clarifies where people can smoke should help provide a healthful, pleasant environment for people to cheer for their favorite young athletes.

Having said that, it does seem discouraging that this matter should have to be a subject for legislation at all. Grownups ought to be able to resolve such disagreements civilly without needing government supervision. Young athletes are supposed to be learning about teamwork and getting along with others. What kind of example are their elders setting when they can't even negotiate a simple request about where to inhale and exhale some carcinogens?

But it does seem to be a feature of modern life that some people are so insistent on their individual rights that they refuse to make any concession to others. So it takes a third party, i.e., the council, to devise a solution by which all parties can abide. The kind of ordinance the council discussed last week should provide a clear understanding of where smokers can enjoy their habit and where they are expected to refrain. Perhaps then everyone can enjoy the games and restrict their strident outbursts to cheering for their favorite team.