Smoking ban suggested for Sylvan Lake

A coalition of anti-smoking advocates in Sylvan Lake, Alta., is calling for an outright ban on smoking in the resort community.

The group made the pitch at a town council meeting Monday, citing a series of health hazards and the litter created from cigarette butts as the main reasons smoking should be banned in the central Alberta town, locatedwest of Red Deer.

The group is also asking the Alberta government to ban smoking in all provincial parks.

Sylvan LakeMayor Susan Samson said a total ban would be difficult to enforce.

She suggested the groups help educate people about the problems associated withsmoking instead.

"The science is there that we know second-hand smoke is harmful, we know that the litter is bad in a lakefront environment, but we need to educate the million-plus visitors that we get a year about their habits of leaving their cigarette butts around," Samson said.

Councilmight consider putting up signs to try to deter cigarette butt littering and point out the health hazards associated with second-hand smoke.

Samson said council wants to see how the provincial government responds before making any commitment.

Last week, the Vancouver Park Board voted to impose a smoking ban in parks and beaches, beginning in September.