Canadian tourist Doris Roberts blithely smoked a cigarette as she relaxed at a table under cloudy skies in Times Square on Monday, flicking ashes and scorn at the city's new law prohibiting smoking in pedestrian plazas, as well as in parks and at beaches.

A new outdoor smoking ban covers all of New York City's parks and public plazas, including Times Square. WSJ's Hilke Schellmann visited the iconic crossroads for tourists and office workers to see if smokers would take heed of the new law.

"It's ridiculous," said Ms. Roberts, 47 years old, of Montreal. "We're outside—we should be able to smoke."

Ninety days after Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed into law this most recent expansion of the city's smoking ban, it became illegal on Monday to smoke in the city's 1,700 parks and on its 14 miles of beaches. Smoking is now also prohibited along the city's boardwalks, marinas and pedestrian plazas, such as Times Square.

Parks Department officials are authorized to enforce the law and may issue fines of $50 per violation. But city officials say they're hopeful the new ban will be self-enforcing, with most people stubbing out their butts when alerted by passersby or city officials.

As of Monday evening, officials said no citations had been issued.

The new smoking ban—coming eight years after Mr. Bloomberg convinced the City Council to approve a ban in bars and restaurants and other indoor workplaces—drew a mix of praise and disdain from people in the city's parks and plazas.

At Times Square: Brittney Lawson, 20, smokes in the public plaza on Monday, the first day of the city's new smoking ban. She put out the cigarette upon being informed of the ban. Michael Nagle for The Wall Street Journal

Karin Almonte, a 31-year-old messenger from Washington Heights, bemoaned the ban as he watched a man wave a wand that spawned giant, translucent bubbles near the bandshell just south of Central Park's Bethesda Terrace. "I have to leave the park to smoke and then come back?" he said incredulously. "It's not fair."

"They're using people to make more money," he said, referring to the possibility of getting a ticket. "Maybe in the future, they will say you can't smoke in your own home."

Others said they were thankful they could enjoy smoke-free parks. "The smoke really bothers me," said Chris Goodwin, 73, a retired doorman who was resting on a bench near Central Park's Great Lawn. "Tobacco is harmful."

Thomas Farley, commissioner of the city's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, played a key role in convincing Mr. Bloomberg to support the expanded ban. He said New Yorkers deserve to enjoy public places free of smoke and cigarette butts.

"Smoke-free parks protect all those who visit from the dangers of secondhand smoke and our children can play without getting a lesson on how to smoke," Dr. Farley said. "It is our hope that smokers, most of whom want to quit, will use this as an opportunity make a quit attempt."

Mr. Bloomberg was initially hesitant to move forward with the latest ban, but after examining data about the dangers of second-hand smoke, he became convinced it was the right move for the city, according to aides.

A sign at the entrance to Bryant Park notifies visitors of a new smoking ban in New York City. Getty Images

During his first term in office, the mayor ignited a firestorm of criticism when he proposed and won council approval to ban smoking in bars and restaurants citywide. The measure has since gained widespread acceptance, and Mr. Bloomberg considers it one of the greatest achievements of his mayoralty. Over the years, he has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to encourage people world-wide to quit smoking.

The ban doesn't include the sidewalks immediately adjoining parks, squares and public places, officials said. A smoker could easily hop onto a sidewalk to evade a ticket or disapproving remark.

A spokeswoman for the city's parks department said the administration is in the process of erecting 3,000 to 4,000 permanent signs to alert people to the new law. The city is also launching a campaign highlighting the new law with ads on television, in the subway and in print media, officials said Monday.

In Times Square, where huge billboards catch the eye, few noticed the tiny signs that the city posted about the new smoking ban. One smoker, when asked his thoughts on the new law as he briskly walked through the pedestrian plaza, replied: "Didn't know it existed."

Once informed, he took another puff and kept walking.

But Debbie Eastwood, a 46-year-old tourist from Manchester, England, quickly stubbed out her smoke when a reporter told her about the new law. "It's probably best for everybody," she said with a laugh.

Ms. Eastwood, who is headed to Las Vegas at the end of the week, then asked, with a twinkle of mischievousness in her eye, "Is there a smoking ban there?"

Write to Michael Howard Saul at