There are now three cities in Arizona than ban smoking in all its city parks. As of this week, smoking in parks in the city of Somerton is illegal.
The small town is located just south of Yuma. According to the American Nonsmoker’s Rights Foundation, a nonprofit national health advocacy organization, there are at least 1,100 municipalities in the U.S. with smoke-free park laws.
Somerton now joins Goodyear and San Luis in Arizona with smoke-free parks. Louie Galaviz is with the city of Somerton. He said an anti-tobacco youth coalition in the city initiated the idea.
"The youths started with just requesting one park and when this was taken to the city council, the council was very impressed and moved by the efforts that they recommended that it be for all our parks and ballfields in Somerton," Galaviz said.
The city is allowing a one-year grace period and is launching an anti-smoking in parks education campaign.
