Smoking ban in city parks goes to council

Roseville smokers beware. The next time you visit a public park in Roseville, you may not be able to light up.The Roseville Parks & Recreation Commission last week unanimously approved an ordinance that would prohibit smoking in Roseville city parks.The commission is an advisory body that makes recommendation to the City Council for its approval. Current state law prohibits smoking in city parks within 25 feet of a playground or tot lot."We want to make our city venues healthy and smoke free," said Jeff Dubchansky, assistant director of the Roseville Parks and Recreation Department.If approved by the council, no-smoking signs would be posted in all of the city's 56 parks and 4,000 acres of city-designated open space areas.Roseville resident Dave Andrews has mixed feelings about the proposal."I think it's denying smokers too much, yet I enjoy being in a park without smoking. It's nice to be around non-smokers, but I don't like to deny people their rights."In addition to reducing health risks for the community caused by second-hand smoke, the Parks Commission is interested in reducing fire hazards and smoking-related litter as well as helping to protect wildlife exposed to toxins that occurs when they ingest discarded cigarettes.Sacramento, San Francisco, Davis, Woodland, Winters, Fresno, Modesto, Berkeley, Dublin and 36 additional California cities already have smoke-free parks.