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City ponders smoking ban for playgrounds Children gathered at wading pools, splash pads face risk of second-hand smoke, staff report warns January 10, 2009 Comments on this story (39) Vanessa Lu CITY HALL BUREAU CHIEF Thinking about puffing near a Toronto playground, wading pool or splash pad? Get ready to butt out. The city wants to bring in a ban on smoking within 9 metres (30 feet) of areas where young children gather to protect them from second-hand smoke. The ban would also cover zoos and farms managed by the parks, forestry and recreation department, such as Riverdale Farm and High Park Zoo. "It's a no-brainer," said Councillor Paula Fletcher, who chairs the parks and environment committee, which will debate the proposal on the issue next Friday. "It's not about curtailing people's rights. It's about protecting children's health." A staff report argues that being close to smokers outside can be as dangerous as encountering smoke in confined indoor spaces, depending on the direction of the wind and distance from the smoker. "Outdoor concentrations of second-hand smoke have been found to rival those of indoor second-hand smoke during a period of active smoking," the report says. "Children breathe faster than adults, especially when active." Children also may not be able to move away from a smoker if they are in a stroller, swing or enclosed slide. Infants and toddlers might ingest cigarette butts found lying on the ground. The Toronto Zoo has already banned smoking from several areas, including the splash pad and kids' zoo and in front of outdoor exhibits, but there is no general ban. Under the proposal, the city would spend $16,000 to put up new signs announcing the ban, which would apply to 833 playgrounds. The fine for violating the ban has yet to be set, but would probably be about $300. Brenda Patterson, parks general manager, said there would be an element of community self-policing with this bylaw, as with many parks bylaws. "We don't stand around and watch for every dog off leash or for cases of illegal dumping. But as you start to put up signs, I think it will become the social norm," she said. Parents who see someone smoking by a splash pad can point out the rules or call the city to file a complaint, Patterson said. Toronto Star

THEY ARE AFRAID THAT KIDS WILL EAT CIGARETTE BUTTS? ARE THEY SERIOUS????? Id be more afraid of them eating crack needles and dog shit. Honest to God these people have lost the plot.

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Originally posted by Jayx1 Give them an inch, they will take a yard. Give them the yard and they will take a mile. How far will they go? The ban wangoners are getting really creative and the sad part is, it will probably go through. Honestly i think the fumes of dog shit and panda poo are more offensive than a 1 second puff of smoke. But this is torontograd in canuckistan. Big brother knows better i guess. "WONT SOMEBODY PLEASE THINK OF THE CHILDREN??" Hey City hall. People are losing their jobs and the city is falling apart. PLEASE ADDRESS SOME REAL PROBLEMS OK???

I think this is a good thing. Just because they are doing this doesnt mean that they are not addressing some "real problems" btw This is a real problem! Smoke kills period! I dont want kids I know breathing in that shit just because the grownup is to stupid to not think of them. This is a point in the right direction.

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Inrush - Soundcloud [New podcast! house, tech, prog, electro] <-- click to head over!

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Originally posted by Jayx1 THEY ARE AFRAID THAT KIDS WILL EAT CIGARETTE BUTTS? ARE THEY SERIOUS????? Id be more afraid of them eating crack needles and dog shit. Honest to God these people have lost the plot.

With a comment like that obviously you have never been around kids before.

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Inrush - Soundcloud [New podcast! house, tech, prog, electro] <-- click to head over!

I think they are running out of ideas and not really enforcing these new laws.. For example the smoking in cars with children. I KEEP SEEING THIS HAPPEN DAY IN DAY OUT!!!!! the smoking around a park is kinda dumb but smoking in a car with children is NOT.. and cops do not enforce these laws and I've never seen anyone get punished. I've had to deal as a kid my dad always smoking in the car when i am in the backseat.. i'd complain and he said its going out the window when half the smoke was going in the backseat. I suffered from asthma as a kid and blame my dad.. start giving these stupid parents tickets for smoking in cars with kids.. thats all!

...

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Inrush - Soundcloud [New podcast! house, tech, prog, electro] <-- click to head over!

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Originally posted by Inrush I think this is a good thing. Just because they are doing this doesnt mean that they are not addressing some "real problems" btw This is a real problem! Smoke kills period! I dont want kids I know breathing in that shit just because the grownup is to stupid to not think of them. This is a point in the right direction I think.

So let me get this straight. You think the government can be a better parent than parents? Do you seriously think smoking outdoors is going to hurt anyone but the smoker? If so please take your concerns to more legitimate sources of pollution like diesel buses for example. Do people even get close enough to kids outside for it to even affect them?

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Originally posted by Inrush With a comment like that obviously you have never been around kids before.

Oh i have... but thanks for assuming otherwise. And being around kids i know that i have the responsibility of making sure they are safe at all times which means watching them like a hawk. And as i said quite frankly there are bigger "ingestion" concerns at a playground than cigarette butts. Usually "ingestion" problems can be prevented by teaching kids how dirty things on the ground are. I think thats how we all learned growing up. But hey, big government brother would disagree. They know better right?

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Originally posted by Jayx1 So let me get this straight. You think the government can be a better parent than parents? Do you seriously think smoking outdoors is going to hurt anyone but the smoker? If so please take your concerns to more legitimate sources of pollution like diesel buses for example. Do people even get close enough to kids outside for it to even affect them?

You think the government can be a better parent than parents?

the government is made up of people. Alot of them are parents.

Do you seriously think smoking outdoors is going to hurt anyone but the smoker?

its called second hand smoke. It is alot worse then smoking itself.

Do people even get close enough to kids outside for it to even affect them?

you must be a smoker because there is nothing worse then coming close to a smoker. The smell is so bad it almost makes you puke.

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Inrush - Soundcloud [New podcast! house, tech, prog, electro] <-- click to head over!

I would love for every NIMBY and ban a thonner to answer a simple question.

HOW THE HELL DID THEY SURVIVE ALL THESE YEARS TO THIS POINT WITHOUT THE GOVERNMENT WATCHING OVER THEM? Surely by this point according to their own reasoning they should be dead by now seeing as how we havnt had proper direction on how to live from the politburo!!

I think this is going too far too. 9 metres away from where children gather? That's a bit much. Have they actually done a study to see how much second hand smoke you inhale while 9 metres away from a smoker outside. I understand inside, yeah, but outside it dissipates so fast. I bet even 3 metres away the kid won't breathe in anything they're not breathing in anyway in Toronto.

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Originally posted by Inrush You think the government can be a better parent than parents? the government is made up of people. Alot of them are parents.

Weak. So one person's opinion (Or some special interest group's) on how parenting should be done DOWN TO THE MINUTE DETAIL should be law and forced upon everyone? Perhaps we should just give up our children to the state for proper training until 18? That will solve everything right?

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its called second hand smoke. It is alot worse then smoking itself.

If somebody at a playground is close enough for their smoke to affect my kid, we have got bigger problems than smoking i can assure you

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you must be a smoker because there is nothing worse then coming close to a smoker. The smell is so bad it almost makes you puke.

Wow you know me well... I have no experience with kids and im a smoker. Double fail my friend. Never smoked with exception of literally a few cigars in my lifetime.