Atlanta to consider smoking ban in parks

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• HANDS OFF MY VIRGINIA SLIMS Atlanta City Councilwoman Joyce Sheperd says second-hand smoke poses a health risk to bystanders

Good news for folks who hate breathing in other people’s cigarette smoke. Bad news for those who enjoy lounging in Piedmont Park with their beau by their side, puffing eight packs of cigarettes while reading the latest issue of Ponce Press.

Two Atlanta City Councilmembers want the city to follow in the footsteps of Decatur, Marietta, and Alpharetta and put the kibosh on smoking in public parks and recreational areas within the city limits.

“We’ve already looked at the fact that second-hand smoke is just as much a killer, if not more, than people literally smoking,” Atlanta City Councilwoman Joyce Sheperd told CL. “We have to regulate it, especially if it’s going to have an impact on people’s health and lives. If you’re driving drunk you can hurt someone. If you’re smoking, there’s a great possibility you can cause someone else to have cancer from second-hand smoke. It’s a health issue.”