Parks and recreational facilities in the county will soon prohibit the use of tobacco products on its premises.

The Newton County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved at their meeting Tuesday an ordinance that would prohibit the use of tobacco products.

The ordinance was first presented by the Newton County Recreation Commission at a county board meeting in November.

According to the ordinance, tobacco use would be prohibited in all indoor and outdoor parks and recreational facilities at all times. It will be unlawful for any person to use any form of tobacco, including but not limited to cigarettes, E-cigarettes and smokeless tobacco in all areas of county-owned or operated indoor and/or outdoor parks and recreational facilities, including but not limited to restrooms, athletic fields, rivers, parks, walking/hiking trails, agency-owned vehicles, and spectator and concession areas.

The tobacco ban is scheduled to go into effect in April 2013.

For more on this story and the board meeting, visit covnews.com or read the Fri., Dec. 7 publication of The News.