Posted on 10/26/2003 3:27:11 PM PST by SheLion
SOLANA BEACH, Calif. (AP)--This laid-back, funky seaside town has businesses with names such as the Naked Cafe, Belly Up Tavern and Do-It-Yourself Dog Wash, and the dress code is more Grateful Dead than boardroom.
But it's laying down the law on its 1.4 miles of beaches: No Smoking.
``It's a great idea,'' said resident Douglas Alden, 38, as he and his 2-year-old son, Clinton, had the cove at Tide Park all to themselves on a recent afternoon. ``Even in a wide-open space like this, the smoke tends to travel.''
Ban opponent Travis Stevens, a 26-year-old construction worker, doesn't see it the same way.
``If you're not blowing it in anybody's face or anything, just minding your own business, I don't think it should be a problem,'' Stevens said.
But even Stevens is upset by the cigarette butts littering the beach, the stairs leading down from the parking lot, and the bluff overlooking the surf. During a recent cleanup, cigarette butts were the top item collected, according to Mayor Tom Golich.
Now, Solana Beach is about to becomes the first California city to ban smoking on the beach, according to the American Lung Association.
The ban in the northern San Diego County town of 13,000 people was prompted by a group of high school students, who first asked the city to declare September a nonsmoking month on the beaches and in parks, then pushed for a permanent ban.
It was unanimously supported by the five-member City Council. After it takes effect on Nov. 20, first-time offenders can face a $100 fine.
Similar bans are in place at Honolulu's Hanauma Bay beach, and at two public beaches in Sharon, Mass. Some beaches in New Jersey also have smoke-free zones.
Inspired by Solana Beach, Los Angeles City Councilman Jack Weiss recently introduced a motion that would ban smoking on Los Angeles' 10 miles of beaches as well.
Weiss said he and his children participated in a beach cleanup two weeks ago.
``We spent our time on our hands and knees picking up other peoples' cigarette butts,'' he said. ``It's disgusting and inexcusable.''
Weiss' motion will be considered in the next several weeks, and he thinks it will pass.
``A decade ago when it was first proposed that smoking be banned in restaurants, they said it couldn't and shouldn't be done,'' he said. ``Look around today. You can't smoke in a restaurant and the world hasn't stopped spinning.''
But at Los Angeles' Venice Beach, David said Weiss' idea would ``be like a total violation of a person's civil rights, because we're outside, you know what I mean?''
``I don't think they'd want to enforce it, because there's too many people down here that do smoke,'' Watson said as he puffed at a table outside a cafe. ``Even the cops smoke down here.''
Associated Press Writer Mason Stockstill in Los Angeles contributed to this report.
I was a young kid - raised in VA. Sort of a conservative place.
I was a student at the Defense Language Institute in CA, walking the beach, arm-in-arm with my girlfriend.
She stops. "I think we have gone to far."
I look around. (I had been looking at the tall ships at sea.)
Yeah, CA has a butt problem.
What in the heck does that have to do with cigs?
Common public areas have never been as well maintained as private property.
This is why Communism was such a huge success.
Because smokers are the new Beelzebub, why not shift the blame to them for everything from typhus to bad taste in clothing?
It's a new feeding frenzy, and a ready-made group for the perpetual free-floating anxiety crowd to attack.
We were also the the only ones not actively engaged in sex.
But, but all means, don't smoke afterwards.
It might be harmful to your health.
Though I don't agree that cigarette butts are the "bulk of the litter," I have no plan. It's the local government that's responsible for maintaining public property. If they can't control litter, it's their problem.
And that's all it is - a litter problem, not a smoking problem, despite your name-calling effort to characterize it as such.
And the winner of the "All-time biggest whiner" category is.....
Since you could not support a previous comment by whomever regarding the wafting of cigarette smoke down the beach you now conveniently choose unsightly cigarette butts. Grasping for straws CC!
I've driven many a highway throughout this country and the states that do not have deposits on their cans and bottles are littered throughout with these items. Given your rationale, I think we had better ban alcohol and pepsi, and coke, etc. After all, we must clean up the place.
Sorry pal, I can go to any given outdoor spot you may choose and I guarantee you that there will be a most abundant quantity of trash that will certainly catch my eye before I notice cigarette butts. As I stated previously, get your priorities straight and clean up your town's trash before you come after us smokers!
As for the joker who complains about smoking on the beach, well just sit up wind of us...........but then again, if he has bad hygiene then I have to PUT UP WITH him don't I?
There's a public park not far from me day and night you see cars and trucks parked there; people meeting each other to have sex their families and employers would never know about. It's not enough that they are having sex in public in restrooms next to play equipment meant for children; they must leave used condoms on the ground everywhere. unsanitary, filthy habits.
You know ChemistCat, you seem to have an awful lot of unresolved hatred built up inside of you, seems to be a lot of things that piss you off. Once again I urge you to set your priorities straight and leave us smokers alone. Given the amount of animosity that appears to building up inside of you, you might just choose the wrong person at the wrong time to spout off against for their smoking habit......
Maybe you should take up yoga or something......
Tell you what, why don't you "SHARE" your feelings of what makes you really happy, what you would perceive to be the idyllic society to live in if you would have your way? Don't be shy now, we are all hear to listen and lend a helping hand.....
I think you have hit on something here...
No eating = no trash
No drinking = no cans
No drinking = no bottles
No babies = no discarded diapers
No fat people = no offences to those who dislike fat people
No talking = no chance of profanities being vocalized
No Jews = no offended anti-semites
No Blacks = no offended white racists
No Whites = no offended black racists
No Homosexuals = no offended homophobes
No Heterosexuals = no offended heterosexualphobes
No me = no offended you
Conclusion: Your own perfect world with your own perfect beach where you and only you can go to enjoy it......
I don't need no stinkin anemometer to walk on the beach. The quote captures your arrogance in a nutshell. We have no duty or inclination to accomodate your filthy, deadly habit.
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