Seattle smoking ban starts today

Alex Cnossen

Alex Cnossen Jun 21, 2025

Feb 6, 2018

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                <h1>Seattle smoking ban starts today</h1>
                <h2><p>A controversial Seattle smoking ban in takes effect today, barring smoking from all 465 city parks.

Seattle's Parks and Recreation Board approved the ban in May, KOMO News notes. The Board reasons that there's no safe distance from second-hand smoke — especially for kids. If caught, smokers</p></h2>
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               <p>By <a href="/author/alex-cnossen-crosscut-com/">Alex Cnossen</a></p> 
              <p><time datetime="2025-02-04T05:00:00-08:00">Feb 6, 2018</time></p>
            </header>
            <p>A controversial Seattle smoking ban in takes effect today, barring smoking from all 465 city parks.</p><p>Seattle's Parks and Recreation Board approved the ban in May, <a href="http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Controversial-smoking-ban-now-in-effect-at-all-Seattle-parks-311748061.html?ref=avalancheghost.one">KOMO News notes</a>. The Board reasons that there's no safe distance from second-hand smoke — especially for kids. If caught, smokers will be kicked out of the park or arrested. Parks Superintendent Christopher Williams promises the homeless won't be targeted. As Crosscut's David Kroman <a href="http://crosscut.com/2015/04/parks-smoking-ban-will-homeless-be-the-targets/?ref=avalancheghost.one">has reported</a>, the ban's origins can be attributed, in part, to concerns about downtown parks — where the homeless congregate.</p>
          </article>

A controversial Seattle smoking ban in takes effect today, barring smoking from all 465 city parks.

Seattle's Parks and Recreation Board approved the ban in May, KOMO News notes. The Board reasons that there's no safe distance from second-hand smoke — especially for kids. If caught, smokers will be kicked out of the park or arrested. Parks Superintendent Christopher Williams promises the homeless won't be targeted. As Crosscut's David Kroman has reported, the ban's origins can be attributed, in part, to concerns about downtown parks — where the homeless congregate.

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By Alex Cnossen

Alex Cnossen is a Northwest native and has worked for several local publications, including KOMO, KIRO and KING-TV. He grew up in Portland and loves to run and write. Follow him on Twitter @CnossenAle