Patrons at Six Flags Great Adventure theme park will be able to breathe a little easier.

Members of the Township Council have given their support to the first reading of an ordinance that will, upon adoption, prohibit smoking except in designated areas at Six Flags Great Adventure, Route 537.

"We are supporting Six Flags Great Adventure in their effort for a smoke-free environment," township Business Administrator William Santos said. "The mayor and the council both said yes, it's a great idea. It really helps them to enforce the regulations within the park."

Santos said he spoke with the president of Great Adventure, which is private property, last week. He said park officials had ejected 75 people for violating the facility's smoking regulations. Designated areas have been set aside within Great Adventure for people who wish to smoke.

"As you enter the park, they have a public address system that has a repeated announcement which states that the park is a smoke-free environment and people can smoke only in designated areas," Santos said. "Those who violate the rule will be removed from the park."

The business administrator said Mark Kane, Great Adventure's president and general manager, asked township officials to support the smoking ban. The municipality's cooperation enables the police department and other appropriate authorities to issue a summons to people who violate the smoking policy.

"[The minimum fine] can be $100 for the first offense," said Santos "Although Great Adventure cannot issue a summons, Jackson can, and this will give us the ability to do that when we are there."

According to the ordinance, the fine for violating the smoking policy can be between $100 and $250 for the first offense; between $100 and $500 for the second offense; and not less than $100 or more than $1,000 for each subsequent offense.

Santos said he likes the way Great Adventure is moving back toward becoming a family-oriented park.

"We want the families back in the park," he said. "We want the grandchildren and the grandparents" there, too, he said.

"The no-smoking policy reinforces the company's ongoing commitment to creating an entertainment environment focused on the family audience, improving the overall park experience," Kane said. "This is an example of great cooperation between the township and our park and we really appreciate their support with one of our key initiatives."

Six Flags spokeswoman Angel Aristone said, "It's all about improving the overall park experience. That's basically what we're doing."