On Monday, May 5, the City Council of Jacksonville, Florida, unanimously voted to ban all forms of smoking on its beaches. The decision came after residents voiced concerns about the health impacts of smoking and second-hand smoke.
The new amendment defines smoking as “inhaling, exhaling, burning, carrying, or possessing any lighted tobacco product, or electronic nicotine or vaping product,” including cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, e-cigarettes, and unfiltered cigars. The ban went into effect immediately, with violators facing fines of over $50 and potential misdemeanor charges.
Previously, e-cigarettes and unfiltered cigars were excluded from the ban, but the updated language now prohibits all smoking activities on the beach. Councilman Greg Sutton expressed disappointment that the ban wasn’t implemented sooner, but he supported the decision as the right move.
Jacksonville Beach is a popular tourist destination, attracting spring breakers and families. According to local reports, Florida saw a record 37.9 million visitors between January and March 2023, with the highest influx during spring break. Jacksonville joins other Florida cities like Treasure Island, Dania Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and Okaloosa Island Beach in implementing smoking bans on beaches.
Councilwoman Sandy Golding hopes to expand the ban to other public areas, such as parks, where tobacco litter is a problem.
Similar bans are already in place in other tourism-focused states. New York banned smoking in all public parks and beaches in 2022, with a $50 fine for violators. California implemented a similar ban in 2019, prohibiting smoking and vaping of tobacco and marijuana products in most state parks and beaches, with a $25 fine for offenders.
