Community Corner

The Reston 'Smokeout'?

There is a grassroots movement to get Reston Association to ban smoking on the bike paths.

Thursday, Nov. 17 is the American Cancer Society's 36th Annual Great American Smokeout, a day to encourage cigarette smokers to kick the habit.

In Reston, one man is on a campaign to get to ban smoking on the bike paths.

RA already prohibits smoking on its properties such as pools, lakes and playgrounds. However, Reston resident Gary Nobles wants the paths smoke-free as well.

Find out what's happening in Restonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"One way that Reston Association can help to protect all of our fellow RA Members from the serious health dangers resulting from involuntary public exposures to secondhand tobacco smoke is to pass a “100% Smoke-Free / Tobacco-Free” policy on all of our shared outdoor RA Common Areas," Nobles said in one of many recent emails to RA board members.

"In addition, the successful passage of this proposed legislation would also help to protect the health and safety of our shared RA Common Area natural environments by greatly reducing the amount of littered cigarette butts [an EPA recognized toxic waste], as well as a potential fire hazard in these natural areas."

Find out what's happening in Restonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Nobles is encouraging residents to sign an online petition on the subject. Click here to access the petition.

Reston Association President Kathleen Driscoll McKee says there are several reasons the board remains unconvinced that this is a pressing issue.

"We are not convinced that we have the staffing ability on all 55 miles of pathways to enforce this," Driscoll McKee said. "We have agreed that none of us have registered a significant amount of infractions. From time to time, sure, people smoke, but I once counted and saw no one. At this point, I just don't think it is serious enough."


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