NEW YORK (PIX11) – City Council is weighing an expansion of the city’s smoking ban that would extend to areas surrounding public parks.

Under the proposed legislation, sidewalks adjacent to city parks would also be included in spaces where smoking is prohibited.

The bill’s sponsor argues that the smoke, even when blown outside park grounds, can travel long distances to enter park spaces.

The original law was passed in 2011.

Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here.