Come next month, smokers beware: If you light up in a public park in Tacoma, you’ll be breaking the law.

By a 6-3 vote, the Tacoma City Council approved late Tuesday an ordinance that makes smoking in any public park in the city illegal.

“To me, this is like the noise ordinance,” said Councilman Jake Fey, who supported the measure. “There needs to be a balance.”

The ordinance makes such public smoking a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $25 fine, although city officials have said police do not plan to actively enforce the law.

Supporters said the measure is a way to protect seniors, children and others from the dangers of second-hand smoke, as well as to promote overall healthy living.

Councilwoman Connie Ladenburg noted that her 11-year-old grandson has such severe asthma, he cannot enjoy parks when any cigarette smoke is present. Without such a law, she said, her grandson and other nonsmokers will remain vulnerable to secondhand smoke effects imposed upon them by smokers.

“He doesn’t have a choice to breathe, but smokers have a choice if they smoke or not,” she said.

Councilman Spiro Manthou, who unsuccessfully promoted a compromise to restrict smoking only near certain areas in parks, such as playgrounds, disagreed that any conclusive science proves secondhand smoke in an outside environment poses significant health dangers.

Noting that police don’t intend to actively enforce the ban, Manthou added, “I’m not comfortable that this (ordinance) is going to make any effect.”

Council members Julie Anderson and Mike Lonergan also voted against the ordinance.

Lonergan reeled off a list of public areas now restricted under the ban, including parking lots at parks, public fishing piers and docks, Cheney Stadium and Meadow Park Golf Course, among others.

“This is what we’re doing, we’re restricting the liberties of 20 percent of the population,” said Lonergan, citing figures showing about one in five people smoke.

Councilman Rick Talbert, chairman of the Tacoma-Pierce County Board of Health who helped sponsor the measure, has said the measure isn’t about impeding smokers’ rights, but safeguarding those who don’t smoke and spreading public awareness about tobacco’s dangers.

Tacoma joins more than 400 jurisdictions nationwide with similar smoking bans in public parks, including Puyallup. The park smoking ban in Tacoma will take effect on Nov. 2, a city spokesman said.

Lewis Kamb: 253-597-8542

lewis.kamb@thenewstribune.com