BELLEVIEW, FL (352today.com) – You take your kids to the park on a beautiful afternoon. You can’t wait to watch as they enjoy the outdoors instead of their screens. As they run toward the swings, you take a deep breath of fresh air… only to end up breathing in cigarette smoke. For many Belleview families, this experience has been all too common – until now.
Families visiting Belleview’s parks will now enjoy cleaner air and safer spaces, thanks to a new smoke-free policy passed by the Belleview City Commission on April 1, 2025. The policy bans smoking, vaping, and the use of electronic cigarettes in all city-owned outdoor recreation areas.
|TRENDING: Marion County is growing fast: Here’s how it could impact your daily life
As the American Academy of Pediatrics notes, children are especially vulnerable to secondhand smoke. It can trigger asthma, respiratory infections, and even effect long-term lung development. By getting rid of tobacco and vaping use in parks like Lake Lillian, the Wilma Loar Splash Park, and Fred King Park, the city aims to safeguard the well-being of its youngest residents.
Mayor Christine Dobkowski stressed the importance of public spaces being safe for everyone, especially children. “This measure is more than just policy – it’s about protecting the health and quality of life of everyone in Belleview. We are taking an important step in fostering a cleaner, healthier, and more family-friendly city for generations to come.”
More news that matters to you…
-
Very Good Boy K-9 and Deputy Help Apprehend Wanted Drug Fugitive in Levy County
Levy County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Ellzey and his handler Deputy Dowling helped capture Jonah Smith.
-
New Report Calls Florida the Second Most Fun State in America
But that might not make the greatest tourism slogan.
-
License Plate Reader Cameras Already Operate in Marion County — One Ocala Resident Calls It a ‘Slippery Slope’
As High Springs restarts school-zone speed cameras, a local critic raises privacy and oversight concerns about automated surveillance systems.
-
Marion County Authorizes Sheriff Billy Woods to Enforce Traffic in Ocala’s Gated Saddle Oak Club
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office will provide all services normally provided in unincorporated Marion County for the Ocala gated community.
-
Ocala Forest High & UF Grad Uses Poker Psychology to Help Local Businesses Scale
Forest High and University of Florida graduate Kevin Laird applies lessons from nearly a decade as a professional poker player to help local businesses build systems that support real growth.