MSNBC – A new law went into effect Monday banning smoking in 43 square miles of parks, public plazas, beaches and boardwalks in the city.

The law, with a $50 fine attached, aims to protect New Yorkers from secondhand smoking in often elbow-to-elbow environments. 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.

Read full story