A new state law banning smoking on Long Island Rail Road platforms went into effect on Sunday.
For now, violators will only face a warning from authorities, but down the road, those who light up on the platform could be slapped with a $50 fine and up to 30 days in jail, according to reports.
Smoking was already prohibited on trains and indoor areas at LIRR stations, but the new law extends the ban to outdoor areas, including platforms, ticketing and boarding areas, officials said.
"It is important that commuters are not unwillingly subject to the dangers of second-hand smoke while waiting on train platforms," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a statement when he signed the bill into law in August.
Opponents of the law say there's no evidence that exposure to cigarette smoke outdoors causes any harm. Some smokers on rails have already turned their noses up to the new law.
“They’re already hiking up our prices," Devin Meehan, 25, told the New York Post. "I’m still going to smoke.”
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