(McAllen, TX) — The McAllen city council is getting tougher on smoking in public places. Yesterday, city commissioners decided to prohibit smoking in public in general and in no buildings with public access with the exception of bingo halls. Some of the areas where smoking will soon be banned when the measure kicks in on January 1st, 2018 include the outdoors such as in the city’s public parks. More details are available online at the Tobacco Prevention and Control Coalition of Hidalgo County’s Facebook page.