Tempe's parks can breathe easy as smoke free policy expands across city

Tempe, Arizona: Several Tempe parks will now be smoke free zones in an effort to encourage healthy communities and enhance experiences at the city’s highest density green spaces.

While smoking is already prohibited in the city’s preserves and recreation facilities, this will be the first step in what could be a larger effort to eliminate smoking and e-cigarette use at all of the city’s parks.

The National Recreation and Park Association supports smoke free parks and has taken a stance against tobacco consumption in parks, encouraging agencies to ban the practice. The benefits cited include healthier recreational environments that promote physical activity, less tobacco use initiation among youth and adult visitors, and cleaner parks that are free of secondhand smoke and cigarette butts.

This list includes parks that share space with schools or recreation facilities, as well as parks with the highest use or density. A proposed city code change to prohibit smoking in all parks, preserves and sports complexes could more forward later this year.

An educational period will last through September 1 with a focus on providing information to the community about these changes. Stickers will be installed on the code of conduct signs at each park. Following the education period, citations could be issued, though the focus will be on providing information and corrective action first.

Tempe is joining several other Arizona cities that have restricted smoking in parks, including Phoenix, Goodyear and Flagstaff. Tempe was the first city in Arizona to ban indoor smoking in 2002 and the first to ban indoor e-cigarette use in 2014.