The County Council said "no" to smoking in dozens of public parks, trails and recreation areas Tuesday, but stopped short of stubbing out cigarettes and cigars from the county's fairways.

Smoking bans have spread rapidly through the Beehive State, cropping up in more than a dozen counties as health departments and elected officials seek to stamp out the ills of secondhand smoke.

Nearly two-thirds of all cities within Salt Lake County - including the capital - already have imposed outdoor puffing prohibitions.

Salt Lake County followed suit Tuesday, voting unanimously to douse cigarette use in all county-owned recreation areas ranging from the south-valley equestrian center to the Jordan River Parkway Trail to East Millcreek Park.

"It is a good principle," Republican Councilman David Wilde said. "We ought to stand by it."

The smoking ban will extend to the driving ranges and putting greens of county golf courses, but exclude the fairways, where Democratic Councilwoman Jenny Wilson said the chances of breathing unwanted secondhand smoke are slim.