Forsyth County

Metro county wants to ban vaping, smoking, chewing tobacco from parks

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — When and where you can smoke, vape or chew may be about to change in Forsyth County.

County leaders are looking at a plan to ban any tobacco use in county parks.

Amelia Ormsby told Channel 2's Berndt Petersen that she's watched enough sports to know that for some its use is something of a tradition.

“Well now, you are in Forsyth County, Georgia. So tobacco use is a big part of these men's habits," Ormsby said.

The county is looking at a plan to ban all tobacco use in county parks. That includes smoking, vaping and chewing.

"If you have an adult league that wants to chew tobacco and spit it on the ground, it's followed up by a children's league. Nobody is cleaning that up. They don't need to be subjected to that," Forsyth County Commissioner Todd Levent said.

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Levent told Petersen they want a family atmosphere at the county’s parks, but some believe the male softball leagues could lose a lot of players.

"You're going to have a lot of people pissed off and people don't come. And the county loses money," parkgoer Tanny Griffith said.

But most of the parents who were watching a softball tournament at Sharon Springs Park on Tuesday told Petersen that going tobacco-free is the right thing to do.

"It's probably a good idea when there's a bunch of kids out here participating in sports not to do that," parent Jessie Mitchell said

The ban would include no smoking, vaping or chewing in your car or in the parking lot.

A final vote could come at a commission meeting next month.