The 2021 legislative session could involve a smoking hot debate.
State Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, will ask colleagues in the Legislature to pass a bill authorizing local governments to ban smoking at public beaches and parks.
State law preempts regulation of smoking to the state but, in Senate Bill 334, Gruters proposes that “counties and municipalities may further restrict smoking within the boundaries of public beaches and public parks that they own.”
Municipalities also could enact restrict smoking at beaches and parks in their jurisdiction that are county-owned.
In addition, the measure would ban smoking anywhere in state parks.
Gruters introduced similar bills in prior sessions, prompting in 2020 the regional environmental group ManaSota-88 to endorse beach smoking prohibitions.
“A ban on smoking on the public beaches would help reduce the litter from cigarette butts, reduce the health risks associated with second-hand smoke and promote a healthy lifestyle,” read a statement from ManaSota-88.
Stephen P. Leatherman, aka “Dr. Beach,” has gone beyond endorsing bans to penalizing locations that allow smoking.
Since 1991, Leatherman has issued a list of top beaches ahead of Memorial Day weekend. In 2020, he amended his evaluation method to include extra credit to boost beaches where smoking is banned.
His focus was on litter rather than the sidestream smoke that goes directly into the air from a burning cigarette.
“Nothing restores the body and soul like a beach vacation,” Leatherman said, announcing his new criteria. “But sitting down on the sand and finding a nasty cigarette butt touching my hand spoils the whole experience.”
Volunteers in island coastal cleanups know just how many cigarette butts can be found spoiling the sand.
Cigarettes are the No. 1 type of litter found on island beaches, as well as the No. 1 type of litter nationally and internationally, presenting an ick factor for us and posing a grave threat to wildlife. The plastic cellulose acetate composition of cigarette filters acts as a conduit for the heavy metals in the products, including arsenic, manganese, cadmium and lead.
Are smoking bans at beaches tested?
Campaigns to limit smoking intensified beginning in the 1970s and from 1993-2011, smoking was banned in 843 parks and on 150 beaches across the United States.
Today, the states of California, Maine, Hawaii and New Jersey have imposed restrictions on beach smoking and report success.
Will Florida be next?
About the 2021 legislative session
The 2021 Florida legislative session will begin March 2 and continue through April 30 in Tallahassee.
Environmental groups, including the Sierra Club Florida and 1000 Friends of Florida, listed priorities and goals for the session, including legislation:
- Promoting the use of electric vehicles by expanding charging infrastructure and setting goals for battery-electric fleets;
- Setting a statewide goal for 100% renewable energy;
- Preserving open space and wetlands;
- Reducing light pollution and promoting “bird-friendly” lights out communities;
- Further regulating septic tanks, stormwater and sewer systems, as well as fertilizer.
- Removing the preemption on local regulation of plastic bags and containers;
- Repealing the statute that prevents municipalities from enforcing tree ordinances;
- Creating a funding floor of at least $100 million for Florida Forever, the state’s conservation and recreation lands acquisition program.