Muskegon, Mich. — A proposal to ban smoking and vaping in all city parks was narrowly rejected by the Muskegon City Commission on Tuesday evening. The plan, part of the 2025 park rules recommended by the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee, aimed to promote a cleaner environment and improve public health by prohibiting smoking and vaping in the city’s parks.
The proposal, however, faced significant opposition from both commissioners and members of the public during the meeting. While some supported the idea, many voiced concerns over government overreach and the practicality of enforcement.
Nicole Mancha, a Muskegon resident, was one of the most vocal opponents of the ban. She argued that it represented an unnecessary expansion of government control over people’s personal choices. “I believe it’s a clear case of government overreach and an unrealistic expectation for both the Muskegon Police Department and park rangers,” Mancha said.
While the ban included both smoking and vaping, many attendees felt more strongly about the inclusion of vaping. Muskegon City Commissioner Jay Kilgo expressed his support for a smoking ban but questioned the need for a vaping restriction. “I am not opposed to a smoking ban. I understand concerns some may have about vaping in public places, but I also believe we must balance public health with personal freedoms, especially in open outdoor environments where science tells us the risks are minimal,” Kilgo stated.
Mancha shared Kilgo’s sentiments, specifically regarding vaping. “I am OK with the not smoking but just not with the vaping, it just didn’t make sense to me,” she told News 8. “If I had to pick though, if it would be all or nothing, it would be nothing.”
As the debate continued, Commissioner Willie German Jr. suggested a possible compromise: creating designated smoking areas in parks. “These are things that pedestrians and residents have done for years. Have you considered or even thought about it at times of a designated area in the parks or a possible space set aside for smokers?” German proposed.
The idea of designated smoking areas gained support from some members of the public. Tim Daling, a frequent visitor to Pere Marquette Park, expressed his agreement with the suggestion. “I grew up smoking on airplanes and buses, it seems a little odd to not be able to do it outdoors,” Daling said. “But I understand that plenty of people put their butts everywhere and that’s not very considerate of others. The only way to appease everybody is to have separate areas away from everyone, designated areas like they do now at bars and concerts and such.”
Despite the push for compromise, the 2025 park rules, which included the smoking and vaping ban, did not pass in their entirety. The city manager and staff will now explore next steps, which could include reintroducing the proposal to the commission, revising the current rules, or possibly abandoning the idea altogether.
The debate highlighted the ongoing challenge of balancing public health concerns with individual rights in public spaces, and it remains to be seen what the future holds for Muskegon’s park policies.
