Central Coast Reacts to Possible Smoking Ban on State Beaches
KION 46
05/14/2009
Monterey Bay, Calif.-On Thursday the California State Senate passed a bill to ban cigarette smoking in state parks and beaches. This is in an effort to reduce pollution, littering, and the threat of fires linked to cigarettes. The bill is called SB4. It now moves on to the Assembly, if it's signed in to law California will have the first state wide ban on State Beach and Park Smoking in the country.
"Litter is probably one of the bigger problems that we're dealing with on the beaches", said Park Ranger Dana Jones.
Mathew McGeorge who was at Monterey State Beach on Thursday said he is a smoker but that he is in favor of the ban.
"Anytime I put out a cigarette butt I put it in my pocket. I don't smoke in the beaches".
Melissa Dominguez is visiting the Central Coast, she spent the afternoon at Monterey State Beach in Marina. She said she's not too sure about the smoking ban.
"It kind of invades their right to smoke. I would just put restrictions to cig butts because that is littering. Obviously have a fine for that".
Her only pet peeve is when people smoke close to her son who is asthmatic.
Park Ranger Dana Jones says it's possible that some people litter the beaches with cigarette buts because they don't think they are actually polluting the environment.
"I talked to one of our prior coastal cleanup coordinators earlier today just after you called me on the phone and she said she thinks that maybe some of the smokers out here equate the beach with an ashtray, ashtrays are full of sand, the beach is full of sand and they think maybe its going to break down" said Jones.
