A new law went into effect Monday banning smoking in New York's 1,700 parks, pedestrian plazas, 14 miles of beaches and public golf courses.

Residents can still smoke on sidewalks outside parks, such as the sidewalk on 5th Avenue outside Central Park, pedestrian routes and medians along streets and in  parking lots.
The law aims to protect New Yorkers from second-hand smoke but some health experts question whether the smoke poses a serious danger in open spaces, and critics say the city is trampling on civil liberties.
The ban, which was proposed by New York mayor Michael Bloomberg and approved by the New York City Council in February, imposes a USD 50 fine attached. However, officials at the Parks Department which has been given the responsibility of enforcement say they do not plan to devote a great deal of resources to issuing tickets. Officials say they are counting on peer pressure to keep people compliant. (pi)