San Diego City Council votes to ban smoking on beaches

AP on Bakersfield Californian ^ | 6/19/06 | AP

[CheyennePress]

Avoid second hand smoke? At a beach with a constant breeze? That's the biggest load of @#$# I've ever heard of!

Frankly, I hate cigarette smoking, especially in bars. That said, this is outdoors in relatively uncrowded quarters.

No sense at all.

[onyx]

Sponsors said the measure will reduce litter and allow beachgoers to avoid secondhand smoke.

Litter is ugly, but for second hand smoke reasons... get real.

[ncountylee]

Some enterprising guy, living on the beach, will charge a small fee to enjoy a smoke in his yard or deck. Hey...I live on the beach.

[demsux]

Next Step:

No smoking in your own home

It's for your own good...doncha know.

[newzjunkey]

I don't miss the litter. It's hard to fathom the second-hand smoke issue is a concern at San Diego beaches.

At a community park? Perhaps in bleechers or locations with gazebos.

[oldtimer]

I hope I never have to go to kalifornistan again as long as I live.

[newzjunkey]

Actually that should be something that can be prohibited in a rental contract. I suppose it's possible a community may try to ban smoking in your front yard much like drinking in public view has been prohibited in other places regardless if you're sitting on your porch.

[onyx]

San Diego is my home town. I am almost speechless.

[NormsRevenge]

They'd be better off improving the water quality by making sure their waste processing plants are top notch.

What's some butts in the sand compared to, uh, .. yaknow. :-\

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

I have no problem with this from the littering standpoint, and I'm one of the biggest defenders of smoking on the cigarette threads.

Cigarette butts are everywhere on the beaches. And please, no slippery slope arguments because beaches are public property.

[KoRn]

Most of the outdoor smoking bans are just silly, but this one may not be such a bad idea. I'd be willing to bet allot of beaches look like ashtrays in certain spots. Of course that can be remedied with enforcing littering violations.

[dalereed]

I hope every prospective tourist that smokes and was planing to visit San Diego cancels their plans, goes elsewhere and sends a letter stating why to the tourist dept.

Make their decision smart until they repeal it.

[martin_fierro]

Smoke Gnatzies Ping

[MilspecRob]

I agree, and I'm a rather heavy smoker that enjoys the beach. I took my 4 year old nephew to Santa Monica and he dug up plenty of butts Ick

[Gabz]

I know many of you on this list are not tobacco smokers - but if an article ever deserved a NANNY STATE ping - this is definitely one of them.





(let me know if you want on or off this Nanny State Ping list)

[RandallFlagg]

Ugh! Glad I got outta there after my EAOS was up in the Navy.

[at bay]

OMG yes! And in l.a. county all but 3 beaches will be smoke-free by July 1 (la times). Oh the injustice of it all! Wah!

[South40]

That said, this is outdoors in relatively uncrowded quarters.

I'm not defending this. But if you consider San Diego's beaches "relatively uncrowded quarters" you've obviously never been to a San Diego beach.

[RandallFlagg]

Yes. This is the, "Slippery Slope," we anti smoking ban folks have been talking about.