L.A. to get 13 miles of smoke-free beaches

The Associated Press ^ | April28, 2004 | The Associated Press

[Just another Joe]

Ban to be enforced on sand, pier and at bus stops

SANTA MONICA, Calif. - Los Angeles County is getting 13 miles of smoke-free beaches. (snip)

The new law is expected to go into effect sometime in the next six weeks, as is a similar Los Angeles ban. (snip)

The bans represent a recent trend among Southern California coastal communities.

The mayor and backing council members say the law is needed to protect the environment, reduce beachgoers exposure to second-hand smoke, and keep the beaches clean.

The emphasis is mine and not the writers.

[Just another Joe]

They continue to lie and the public continues to listen and treat it as gospel.

[Just another Joe]

Puff

[Jim Robinson]

Stay off the beach! All those nasty human feet are compacting the sand and destroying the natural environment. Humans and nature are not compatible! Save the whales! Don't pee in the ocean. Stay off the grass... hmmm... maybe that last one doesn't apply.

[Bella_Bru]

Don't pee in the ocean.

Oh. My bad.

[mlbford2]

Unless of course its ganja. Medical of course.

[Bella_Bru]

No surprises, Joe. They were trying to pass it off as a measure to control litter. Of course, dirty diapers, bottle caps, and food wrappers are not part of that though.

[Just another Joe]

BWahahahahaha

Stay off the beach!

I expect I will be. I live a loooong way from any actual beach. :^)

[Bikers4Bush]

Second hand smoke, on a beach. A windy beach.

I'm at a loss.

[Republicus2001]

yes they complain that smokers use the beach as ashtrays - the REAL culprit is that fact that millions of butts are washed to the shore from the storm drains and end up in the sand at the beach - There is ALREADY an anti-littering law that makes it illegal to throw butts in the sand - more posing by the poseurs

[Just another Joe]

Second hand smoke, on a beach. A windy beach.

Hey, one of the gnatzies claims that it would take a 700 mph wind to get the second hand smoke completely out of any room.

What I want to know is, where is the room that will stand up to a 700 mph wind?

[spunkets]

"I expect I will be. I live a loooong way from any actual beach."

Doesn't matter. Folks keep drivin' them Suvs and you'll be flooded out after your house is burnt down from the heat!

[Just another Joe]

Does this mean my cave in the Ozarks on the brow of that big hill will be beachfront property soon?

[ElkGroveDan]

I don't know about most of you, but if you've ever been on a Southern California beach, you will recall that there is a steady onshore breeze pretty much all the time. Most of the time the wind is too strong to fly a small kite. You could set a pile of tires on fire and no one would be bothered by the smoke. The idea that cigarette smoke on beaches is a health hazard, let alone an annoyance is one of the silliest notions I have ever heard. This is just another example of authoritarian local government run amok.

...and as a former Southern California beach bum, I speak with authority.

[spunkets]

"They continue to lie and the public continues to listen and treat it as gospel."

You think it's funny don't you. See that birdie up in the tree? You think it's singin'. It's not, it's chokin'on your second hand smoke!

[spunkets]

Structure for the fishies.

[van_erwin]

I am not a smoker myself, but I am completely puzzled by the constant vilification of smoking. It seems to me that no law gets passed unless someone is benefiting from it, either in $$ or votes. Which lobby, which business or interest group, is pushing this anyway?

The old phrase goes "follow the money." OK - so where is it?

I know anti-smoking laws can't be getting lots of votes for politicians, because you never hear anyone bragging about how they kept people from smoking in bars. So where's the incentive for the politicians that push this?

[New Perspective]

Oh, this is excellent. So nice to go to the beach and actually smell the ocean without having cigarette butts sticking out of the sand everywhere.

Also, the extra cigarette butts would not be washed onto the beach from the storm drains if the smokers would have some consideration and use an ash tray.

[muawiyah]

Chewing tobacco is not included.

No doubt that's going to make the beach must nicer!

[hoot2]

"The mayor and backing council members say the law is needed to protect the environment, reduce beachgoers exposure to second-hand smoke, and keep the beaches clean. "

"Puff"

what a bunch of maroons...second-hand smoke my a**.....
hey, city council; just keep breathing this stuff...24/7

50 years of AQMD smog regulations...
n the air is dirtier than ever.

[LadyShallott]

A friend and I went to the beach just down the coastline from Malibu last summer. It was filthy. The trash cans were spaced apart about every four feet, but there were still people happily throwing their Taco Bell wrappers all over. I kept thinking to myself "this is the liberal idea of taking care of things?". But god forbid if you smoke in southern California. You will be hung on the spot.