After mostly looking the other way, city parks officers have been stepping up enforcement of the smoking ban in city parks.

Officers have handed out 108 summonses so far this year for smoking at parks, beaches and pedestrian plazas.

That's compared to just 84 tickets that were issued in the first eight months of the ban.

Violators face a $50 fine.

Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe says summonses are issued as a last resort, if smokers refuse to comply with requests to stamp out their butts.