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Tempe adds parks and other areas as smoke-free zones

Tempe Town Lake
Kirsten Dorman/KJZZ
Looking onto Tempe Town Lake on Aug. 10, 2023.

Tempe says it’s taken a first step toward banning smoking and electronic cigarette use in about 20 parks, sports complexes and areas near Tempe Town Lake.

A grace period to teach park visitors about the restrictions will run through Sept. 1. But then violators could draw a ticket.

Officials say a proposed change to city code that would ban smoking in all parks could still move forward this year.

Matthew Casey has won Edward R. Murrow awards for hard news and sports reporting since he joined KJZZ as a senior field correspondent in 2015.