California - “The No Smoking at State Parks and Beaches Act,”

April 15, 2009 - A ban on smoking (banning cigarettes and other smokeable items such as cigars)at all California state beaches and parks was approved by the senate environmental committee in Sacramento that sets policies. If the bill passes the Assembly and is signed by the governor, it will be illegal to smoke on state beaches throughout California, effective Jan. 1, 2010. The legislation allows law enforcement to fine violators $250 for smoking at a state beach or at a state park. In California, the ban on smoking is expanding to include piers, city beaches, public places such around businesses and may one day reach into individuals shared walls in condos and other such close quarters residential areas.

Marine animals that digest the cigarette butts that flow into the ocean from the beach, are impacted by the waste. It interrupts their ability to eat and digest food. Cigarette butts contain more than 165 chemicals, and are non-biodegradable. It is no longer just cigarette butts litter, more and more moist snuff products such as Grizzly or Camel SNUS come in tobacco pouches that are sucked on and eventually discarded. Tobacco Pouch ready to be discarded. If you thought Cigarette Butts Everywhere Were Bad Wait Until Discarded SNUS Bags...

The California State Senate passed a bill on Friday that would ban smoking at all state parks and beaches — and imposing a $100 fine for anyone caught lighting up on the sand.

Senate Bill 4 still awaits approval from the state Assembly, but seems destined to become law in the Golden State, which prides itself on its more than 400 beaches along over 1,100 miles of coastline — and its repuation as a leader in the green movement.

In fact more than 100 local governments in California already ban smoking on beaches and in parks.

State Sen. Jenny Oropeza, who introduced the bill, says on her Web site that cigarette butts are the most commonly found marine debris in the U.S. and make up 38 percent of all litter found on beaches.The California State Senate passed a bill on Friday that would ban smoking at all state parks and beaches — and imposing a $100 fine for anyone caught lighting up on the sand.

Senate Bill 4 still awaits approval from the state Assembly, but seems destined to become law in the Golden State, which prides itself on its more than 400 beaches along over 1,100 miles of coastline — and its reputation as a leader in the green movement.

In fact more than 100 local governments in California already ban smoking on beaches and in parks.

State Sen. Jenny Oropeza, who introduced the bill, says on her Web site that cigarette butts are the most commonly found marine debris in the U.S. and make up 38 percent of all litter found on beaches.

Many local governments have already banned smoking, including bans in local parks, beaches and piers in Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Malibu, Newport Beach, San Clemente, Santa Monica, Seal Beach and Solana Beach (the first), according to Sen. Jenny Oropeza (D-Long Beach) Web site the sponsor of the bill.

The Ocean Conservancy, which coordinates cleanups worldwide, says cigarette butts are No. 1 littered item on the globe. Cleanup volunteers picked up 3.2 million in 2008 from beaches and inland waterways.

References: Bill to ban smoking on state beaches on the way to the top It's passed its first policy test, now must go through assembly and be signed by governor by Cristina Contreras and Sarah De Mers, Daily Titan, 4/14/2009; Law Bans Smoking at All CA State Beaches, California Beaches Blog, 4/14/2009.