Cities look to snuff out smoking on beaches
PANAMA CITY BEACH — Visiting from Johnson City, Tenn., Paul and Gail Odom hadn’t noticed people smoking or cigarette butts strewn on the sand as they strolled along the lapping Gulf of Mexico waters on Thursday morning.
But shortly after being told about a proposed change that would ban smoking cigarettes on Panama City Beach, they saw a pile of discarded butts in the sand.
“I think if they’re going to smoke, they should smoke like there, away from people,” Gale Odom said.
Panama City Beach is among several communities that in the coming weeks and months could move forward under a new state law that allows cities and counties to ban smoking cigarettes and vaping at their beaches and parks.
Panama City Beach Mayor Mark Sheldon said the city council is waiting for legal direction on the proposed change. But with the issue expected to be taken up this month, he sees the proposal as helping the environment by limiting trash and simply being “the right thing to do.”
“We’ve seen smoking bans in other areas, whether it’s restaurants or public places, and this is another public place,” Sheldon said.
Florida voters in 2002 approved a constitutional amendment that prohibited smoking in enclosed indoor workplaces, including most restaurants and bars.
While that change drew opposition, Sheldon said he’s heard objections from only two people to the proposed beach-smoking ban since it came before the council several weeks ago. People who rent beach chairs have offered some of the strongest support.
“If somebody rents a chair from a beach vendor, and they’re out there with their family, and somebody rents a chair next to them, you can’t get away from it if they start smoking. You’re locked into that chair,” Sheldon said. “That’s your space. They don’t just move around those chairs. So, for them, we want to make a better quality-of-life issue.”
The state has long controlled smoking regulations. But the new law (HB 105), signed in June by Gov.
Ron DeSantis, gives authority to cities and counties to ban smoking at beaches and parks that they own.
Along with Panama City Beach, communities such as Miami Beach and St. Petersburg are considering smoking bans.
Miami Beach commissioners at a July 20 meeting took an initial vote on a beach-smoking ban and are expected to take another vote this month. The proposal spells out fines up to $500 with the chance of up to 60 days in jail, though commissioners said they don’t expect anyone to spend time in jail for violating the ban.
Meanwhile, the St. Petersburg City Council is expected to move forward with a smoking-ban ordinance this month. Ben James, an attorney for the city, said the ordinance would prohibit smoking in all areas of public beaches and city parks, and violations could result in fines up to $500.
“Some people may say, ‘Oh, is this overreach?’ ” St. Petersburg City Council member Lisset Hanewicz said during a committee meeting last week. “You know, we regulate smoking, as it is, indoors. And it’s been happening for a long time. The state of Florida a long time ago was the first to decide to sue the tobacco companies … because of the cost that we all bear because of the health costs.”
Under the St. Petersburg proposal, people would have about 90 days to become aware of the change, with enforcement beginning Jan. 1. Council member Gina Driscoll said the phased approach would give time to build awareness and put signs in parks.
“I hope that we can count on our non-profit partners that work with us on litter management to help spread the word and really work as a team to educate the public,” Driscoll said during the meeting.
Sheldon said Panama City Beach might consider a similar approach.
Patricia DePlasco, executive director of Keep Pinellas Beautiful, told St. Petersburg council members that National Geographic has estimated between 4.5 trillion and 5 trillion cigarette butts aren’t properly discarded annually.
“There is a problem. And it’s unfortunate that smokers can’t put their butts where they belong,” DePlasco said.