Should smoking be banned on our beaches?

[Bobby J]

Many beaches in California are beginning to ban smoking on beaches because of all the cigarettes butts and the effect they have on the environment and wildlife. I was curious what you all think. And if you smoke what do you do with your butts at the beach?

http://articles.latimes.com/2008/oct/09/local/me-smokeban9

 

[SHELLY]

Yes.

 

[Kurt]

It's not all the butts on our beaches that is the problem. It's the SIZE of some of them that is the problem.

 

[Bobby J]

It's not all the butts on our beaches that is the problem. It's the SIZE of some of them that is the problem.

You are a funny kid! I spit my drink out when I read this!

 

[DD]

It's not all the butts on our beaches that is the problem. It's the SIZE of some of them that is the problem.

Hey!!!!!!!!

 

[DuneAHH]

It's not all the butts on our beaches that is the problem. It's the SIZE of some of them that is the problem.

CAreful! you're treadin' perilously close to the crack-of-the-abyss here Kurt baby!

I always carry all my butt(s) off the beach.

 

[Smiling JOe]

I really hate to see smokers throw their butts on the ground, anywhere. However, banning smoking isn't the solution, IMO. Perhaps if we are going to ban something, we should be banning people who litter. If that is too strong, perhaps we should ban littering, rather than the people who litter. Beer drinkers litter on the beach, kids litter on the beach, parents litter on the beach, smokers litter on the beach, walkers litter on the beach, etc. Littering isn't restricted to smokers. I find way more cheap, plastic toys on the beach than cigarette butts, but I am not in favor of banning toys on the beach. I am for people cleaning up after themselves, and being aware of potential litter, before it becomes litter.

I didn't vote, b/c there wasn't an answer for me. I would vote, "no," but I think that even though it is a "free country," we are not free to poop on other people, and Mother Nature. We should be free to smoke in open spaces, but not free to litter.

 

[DuneAHH]

I really hate to see smokers throw their butts on the ground, anywhere. However, banning smoking isn't the solution, IMO. Perhaps if we are going to ban something, we should be banning people who litter. If that is too strong, perhaps we should ban littering, rather than the people who litter. Beer drinkers litter on the beach, kids litter on the beach, parents litter on the beach, smokers litter on the beach, walkers litter on the beach, etc. Littering isn't restricted to smokers. I find way more cheap, plastic toys on the beach than cigarette butts, but I am not in favor of banning toys on the beach. I am for people cleaning up after themselves, and being aware of potential litter, before it becomes litter.

I didn't vote, b/c there wasn't an answer for me. I would vote, "no," but I think that even though it is a "free country," we are not free to poop on other people, and Mother Nature. We should be free to smoke in open spaces, but not free to litter.

Well said SJ.
I did vote "No"... but I concur with your qualifying statement.

 

[wrobert]

I didn't vote, b/c there wasn't an answer for me. I would vote, "no," but I think that even though it is a "free country," we are not free to poop on other people, and Mother Nature. We should be free to smoke in open spaces, but not free to litter.

We do not need more restrictions. We need to enforce the current laws. Littering is illegal. We have enough government employees up and down the beach that they could write a ticket. Enough tickets and the problem will quickly resolve itself. I saw where one of the beach communities fines you $500 for drinking alcohol on their beaches. That would be enough of a deterrent for me to do my drinking somewhere else.

 

[Carol G]

I still don't understand why someone has not come up with a self-destructing cigarette filter... they can do it with packing peanuts, why not with butt stubs? Not that it would solve the problem of people littering, but I don't have much faith in people changing their ways for this issue... people who toss butts on the ground/out the window are aware they are littering, but obviously don't care all that much. The possibility of random enforcement of litter laws that already exist hasn't changed their habits.