Big Apple no longer a big ashtray

NEW YORK -- Now that the official ban on smoking in many of the city's public spaces has gone into effect, the fallout is as dense as a cloud of ... smoke.

The ban, which began this Monday, prohibits anyone from lighting  up in parks, beaches, public plazas and on boardwalks.

The Bloomberg administration says the ban will protect people from second-hand smoke and help make parks and beaches cleaner. Violators are subject to a $50 fine for each violation, although the city is hoping peer pressure plays as big a part in the success of the ban as does police presence.

Some critics of the law say it's a matter of civil liberties. Others say the definition of such terms as "public plazas" is unclear. However, those who object to second-hand smoke and first-hand litter seem to like the ban, which comes a decade after the city banned smoking in bars, restaurants and other public indoor spaces.

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