Edmond may ban smokes near kids

Edmond’s Parks and Recreation Department is drafting an ordinance to ban smoking at sports fields and around children’s play areas at parks.

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What is your favorite "eerie” Edmond story that turned out not to be true? Start the conversation by sending comments to jwil

liams@opubco.com.

The city of Norman made a decision to ban smoking at parks earlier this year.

Some argue that allowing smoking near children playing in our parks exposes them to secondhand smoke. A smoker might say fatty, sweet treats available at children’s sporting events are doing just as much damage.

If approved, the ban would not restrict smoking in nonplay areas of Edmond parks.

Times have changed from when I grew up in a home where both parents smoked. Fortunately, none of the children picked up the habit. We know a lot more now about the effects of smoking than we did years ago.

What do you think? Is a new ordinance necessary to protect our children’s health or is this another law that infringes on smoker’s rights?

Send your thoughts to jwilliams@opubco.com.

"But do they really? Why then would they schedule yet another ‘public workshop’ at 3 p.m. on a workday afternoon? Don’t they have real jobs? The common Edmond citizenry does. Do they really expect the working class to take time off and forfeit their wages, or one of their few vacation days, for that afternoon? Those independently wealthy and the influential will be there. The executives, the managers, and those who can ‘delegate’ to their assistants will be there. But those of the Edmond majority — who, by the way, will be the ones who will have to pay for this new safety center — will not be able to attend, even if they wanted to.”

This point was brought up by the council recently. Council members recognize the only way to accommodate more schedules is to have Saturday workshops. You can read the entire contents of Scharrer’s letter and all readers’ comments on the Edmond blog. Go to blog.newsok.com/mile103.

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