The town of Franklin Lakes, NJ has expanded their smoking ban from an original ordinance passed in 2007 that banned smoking on recreational fields as well as raising the age of tobacco use to 19 years old.
The new ordinance bans smoking in parks, recreational facilities and public buildings. The ban was approved by a unanimous vote and violators will face a fine of $250 for the first offense, $500 for the second offense and $1,000 for each subsequent offense.
On Tuesday, the six trustees voted in favor of the measure which also includes a ban of smoking on certain streets including Arbor Road, Hobar Court and Parsons Pond Road.
The Borough council passed the new ordinance at the suggestion of the Board of Health which will provide the borough with “100% smoke-free” signs for parks and recreation areas. The money for the signs comes from a state program whose sole purpose is to increase the number of municipalities in the state that pass tobacco-free ordinances.
There are currently over 250 municipalities in the state that have smoking bans in place.
Franklin Lakes, NJ is home to just under 11,000 residents over 9.847 square miles in the North East portion of the state and was founded in 1922
