"The statistics don't lie--second hand smoke kills. With this bill, all New Yorkers can now breathe easier and breathe cleaner air," Council Speaker Christine Quinn said in a statement. "No one should have to inhale deadly cigarette smoke when they go to a park or beach." Mayor Bloomberg underscored the public-health benefits of such a program: "Our efforts over the last 9 years have resulted in more than 350,000 fewer smokers, and contributed to New Yorkers living 19 months longer than they did in 2002."

The council vote was 36-12. Some no votes were cast on libertarian grounds, others on the basis that this could serve as a means for racial profiling.

Pedestrians will still be allowed to smoke on the sidewalk and in parking lots, though a lot of good that does while enjoying a picnic or watching the philharmonic in the park. And Gothamist points out that even those areas will be prohibited soon, as smokers are relegated to Cemusa-designed "designated shame shelters."

The ban also applies to all those new public plazas like at Times Square and the one proposed for Astor Place. Maybe this is a stealth effort to drive away all the European tourists and college students, then.

mchaban@observer.com