The Chicago Park Board has passed an expansion to the city’s smoking ban that now includes city parks and harbors, with the move going into effect immediately. The vote came during Wednesday’s meetings, and builds on an existing ban on smoking at beaches, playgrounds and park buildings that has been in place since 2007. Language in the new law spells out that any “lighted or vaporized substance in any manner or form” is now prohibited, which includes cigars, cigarettes, pipes, marijuana and electronic cigarettes. Chicago police will be responsible for the enforcement, with fines ranging up to $500. With the new ban, the five largest cities in the United States have all banned smoking in their parks; as Los Angeles and New York City passed similar measures in 2011, while Houston and Philadelphia passed measures this year. Boston also passed a park smoking ban at the end of 2013. Chicago is home to approximately 2.715 million residents.
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