It will soon be illegal to smoke tobacco products, hookahs or electronic cigarettes in Newark, N.J. parks, as the Newark Municipal Council voted unanimously in favor of a smoking ban on Wednesday night. Ordinance 14-0338 is an expansion of the city’s existing smoking ban on municipal buildings, adding parks, recreational facilities, community centers and city-owned or city-operated cars to the list of places where smoking is now prohibited. Violators of the ban face stiff financial penalties, as first time offenders can be fined $250, with second offenses costing $500 before escalating to a $1,000 fine for a third offense and any subsequent violations. The ban will start in early November, as the ordinance states it will take effect 20 days after final passage and publication. Newark is New Jersey’s largest city with a population over 275,000.
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