Designated Smoking Areas in Parks to be Removed in San Marcos

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Supporting its status as a San Diego County Live Well community, the City of San Marcos is updating its tobacco policy to remove designated smoking areas from City parks.

Effective Tuesday, March 12, 2019, all San Marcos parks, trails, recreation areas, reserves, and facilities owned or managed by the City will be smoke-free. The smoke-free zones will extend to within 100 feet of these facilities and all public park signage will be updated to help inform residents about the change.

The updated policy advances the notion that regulating public smoking protects the health, safety, welfare, comfort, and environment of the greater community. Approved by the City Council in January 2019, the City’s existing policy was amended after collected data and resident survey responses suggested that designated smoking areas were difficult to enforce and not reflective of resident desires.

The policy will also include language to cover the use of heated tobacco cigarettes, vaporizers, vape pens, cannabis, and clarifies social host obligations for those who are underage.

For more information, contact San Marcos Parks and Recreation at (760) 744-9000.