California has taken a decision to ban smoking at state parks and beaches starting next year under legislation signed by Gov.
Gavin Newsom. It will be illegal to smoke cigarettes, cigars, pipes, vaping devices “or any other lighted or heated tobacco or plant product intended for inhalation” on any state beach or in any state park in California. Violators face fines of $25.
Newsom, a Democrat signed the measure, Senate Bill 8, by State Sen. Steve Glazer, D-Orinda, late Friday night.
”This bill will provide a cleaner, safer, and healthier environment for people, fish and wildlife,” Glazer said Saturday morning.
”Cigarettes are one of the biggest polluters on our beaches,” he added. ”They harm people through second-hand smoke and kill fish, which are affected by the tainted trash. Many forest fires have been caused by discarded cigarettes, and this bill can help there too.”
California has 280 state parks and 340 miles (547 kilometers) of coastline and a ban on smoking and vaping on beaches in New Jersey, with a $250 fine, took effect this year.
The state Department of Parks and Recreation will be required to put up no-smoking signs at beaches and parks.
”For the main purpose, which is to get smoking off the trails and the beaches, I think it works,” said Kathryn Phillips, executive director of Sierra Club California.”
”This is definitely an improvement over what we have now. It gives the park system the tools we need to make sure people are not smoking and throwing cigarette butts on the beach.”
Jennifer Savage, a spokeswoman for the Surfrider Foundation agreed, saying: ”Cigarette butts are gross. They are full of chemicals,”
”They are also a risk to wildlife. They are mistaken by birds and fish as food. The potential to make a significant difference here is pretty profound.”
[rumble video_id=v15qct domain_id=u7nb2]