NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- City officials have approved a new rule that allows Yale-New Haven Hospital to ban smoking, including on some public sidewalks.

Hospital officials started enforcing the no-smoking rule inside and outside the hospital on New Year's Day, but until this week, it was waiting for the city to approve the rest of the non-smoking area, which includes many public sidewalks around the hospital.

With signs just going up that indicate the smoke-free zones, a map can be helpful in pinpointing where residents can and can’t smoke.

The restrictions are crazy, one person said. They said smokers will do what they have to do and find another place to light up.

Another person said sidewalks are public areas, so it doesn’t make sense that smoking can be banned on them.

However, others are sympathetic to the plight of smokers. One individual said it doesn’t seem fair to smokers who come outside for cigarette breaks.