We'd like to wish councilman Rolando Lavarro the best of luck to get smoking banned in Jersey City parks

Even though he himself is a smoker, Jersey City councilman Rolando Lavarro is looking to ban smoking in all Jersey City parks. Mr. Lavarro, we'd do you one better and ban it everywhere in public.

Why? Here's why. It's not the act of smoking that's the problem to Johnny. No, he doesn't wanna smell your smoke or smell like your smoke but that's not the biggest problem with all the selfish smokers. The butts are. That's right, every single smoker is guilty. Yep, every one. How many times Johnny has had to walk down the sidewalk behind someone who assumes the ground serves as an ashtray and scold them (and he is a scold about this and you should be too). The ground is not your ashtray but it seems no amount of intelligent discourse is going to get you lazy smokers to not throw your butts on the ground. Or your cowls, or your matches.

Therefore you must be treated like petulant children and we need to pass laws because you're making Jersey City a mess. Under Mr. Lavarro's plan, a smokers would face a $250 fine for the first offense, $500 for the second and $1,000 for each subsequent offense. Here here. Smokers, you did this to yourselves. We don't expect to hear anymore whining about your supposed rights to smoke. We have a right not to live in your DNA-coated filth.

We're gonna throw this one open to our readers -- Topic: The NYC smoking ban

For those not hipped to the news, Sunday began the ban on OUTDOOR smoking in NYC public parks and pedestrian areas. The fine is $50 if you are caught lighting up in say Central Park, Coney Island, Herald Square, Union Square, Madison Square Park et al.

Outdoor smoking banned. Now, there is a growing movement, sly as it may be to pretty much not allow smokers to even smoke in their private residence in NYC. It's true, the Ariel West at Broadway and 99th has banned smoking in private dwellings.

We here at the Jersey City Desk are well aware of the dangers of second hand smoke. We support the smoking bans in offices, public events such as a Giants or Mets or Yankees game, anywhere there is a group of people in some kind of condensed area. But a fine for smoking in Central Park?

What are your thoughts dear readers? Should we simply just outlaw cigarettes (or try) since this seems to be the way society is headed? Should we even bother with trying to fine people who are using a legal product in an open space that doesn't inebriate them?

Tell us your thoughts...

So, New York City is looking to ban smoking in city parks and on city beaches--Your thoughts?

This always seems to crank off a few people when proposed, it's already got Mayor Bloomberg all weak kneed, what do you think of this proposal? New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas A. Farley said he's looking to ban smoking in city parks and beaches, furthering the indoor workplace/restaurant ban put in place in 2002. Mayor Bloomberg, ever the hemming and hawing political animal and looking to not upset any potential voters took a wait and see approach to the proposal saying he wanted: “to see if smoking in parks has a negative impact on people’s health.” Hmmmm, well we know it'll harm the smoker's health anyway.

So what say you, would you be in support of furthering such a smoking ban?