Puff-puff proposition passed

A recent vote has liberated all Chico Area Recreation and Park District (CARD) parks from secondhand smoke, according to an American Lung Association press release.

In mid-August, CARD’s Board of Directors adopted a new set of rules and regulations that included a no-smoking policy for all neighborhood and community parks.

“Secondhand smoke contains hundreds of chemicals known to be toxic, including formaldehyde, cadmium and arsenic,” said Shelley Brantley, project director with the American Lung Association in Chico.

According to the Center for Tobacco Policy & Organizing, more than 270 municipalities in California have restricted smoking in recreation areas.

Local smoke-free areas now include Community Park on East 20th Street, Hooker Oak Park, Wildwood Park, the Pleasant Valley Recreation Center, Sycamore Field and DeGarmo Park. For the full list, go to http://tinyurl.com/3syxv7t.