Smoking may be banned on Gulfport beaches
Beach smoking ban proposal
Gulfport is expected to vote on a beach smoking ban on Tuesday. Mariah Harrison reports.
GULFPORT, Fla. - Cigarette butts in the sand and smoke in the air aren’t the way city council members want visitors to think about Gulfport public beaches.
Local perspective:
On Tuesday, there will be a second reading and vote on a proposed ordinance to ban cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, and tobacco products on Gulfport public beaches.
It appears the proposed ordinance does allow an exception for unfiltered cigarettes.
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The city of Gulfport successfully passed a similar ordinance about a decade ago, but it was overturned when challenged in court.
Residents and council members in favor of the ban call it a win for local waterways, as many cigarette butts and tobacco end up in the water.
The other side:
Those against it say Gulfport beaches have more of a trash problem and should be cleaned more frequently.
Click here to read the proposed ordinance.
The Source: This story was written with information gathered by FOX 13's Mariah Harrison.
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