R.I. survey finds support for ban on outdoor smoking / Poll

By Felice Freyer

A man-on-the-street survey has found that Rhode Islanders may be ready to ban smoking in outdoor places like parks and beaches. When asked what they thought of banning outdoor smoking, the vast majority either "liked" or "loved" the idea.

Sponsored by the Health Department with federal funding, the interviewers spoke with 919 Rhode Islanders in 30 urban, suburban and rural communities between August and November. The results were not rigorously scientific but still meaningful.

Of those interviewed, 86 percent either "like" or "love" the idea of designating beaches smoke free, 89 percent favor designating parks smoke free and 92 percent like smoke-free playgrounds.

Rhode Island already bans smoking in public places and workplaces. There are no immediate plans for a statewide ban on outdoor smoking.