Ocean City Bans Smoking on Beaches

OCEAN CITY – Another public area is set to become a no-smoking zone.
City Council unanimously approved an ordinance June 14 that bans smoking cigars, cigarettes, vaping and electronic cigarettes from all city beaches.
With a bill on Gov. Phil Murphy’s desk that would ban smoking on beaches statewide, Ocean City approved the local rule first. It’s set to go into effect in early July.
More people than usual spoke at the council meeting, mostly in favor of the ban, but the meeting was not much more crowded than usual.
Two of the council members who voted yes when the ordinance was introduced in May, Tony Wilson, and Council President Peter Madden, were absent from the June 14 final vote. The lone no vote in May flipped to a yes. Karen Bergman argued that the city was already too restrictive and that smoking was, for many, a form of relaxation.
For the final vote, she said the overwhelming majority of her constituents wanted the ban.
“I was elected to serve the people, the majority of the people,” she said. “The majority of the people want smoking to be banned on the beaches. One of my campaign promises was to listen to the people.”
She still did not seem sold on the idea. She raised questions about enforcement and suggested lifeguards would be interrupted by people complaining about others smoking in violation of the ordinance, or police being called to the beach.
“I’m still not 100 percent sold on that,” she said before the vote. “I feel like every time we turn around a new freedom is being taken from us.”
Councilmen Michael DeVlieger and Bob Barr both expressed concerns on introduction about adding more regulations, concerns they reiterated June 14.
Barr suggested going easy on enforcement for the first summer, focusing on education rather than tickets.
“We are way, way, way too overregulated,” said DeVlieger. “But in this case, it’s not a lifestyle thing; it’s a health thing.”
DeVlieger suggested the ratio of speakers at the meeting for and against the ban likely reflected the numbers for residents and visitors. One resident suggested tabling the ordinance while another complained that it would be overly restrictive, while most were strongly in favor of banning smoking on the beach.
Most said secondhand smoke poses a danger to children on the beach, or said they personally find it annoying or unpleasant. Some went further; saying even a whiff of smoke irritates their existing health issues.
Kim Burns, coordinator for Tobacco Free for a Healthy New Jersey, thanked the city for taking the step and said making beaches smoke free could improve business.
She and others cast it as a health issue.
“Our surgeon general has told us that there is no amount of secondhand smoke that is safe, whether you’re indoors or outdoors,” she said.
Others mentioned the litter from cigarette butts.
“I have children. I’d like to know that they can go digging on the beach and they’re not going to be digging up these chemical-laden pieces of garbage that smokers decided it’s OK to leave behind,” said Debbie Goebel, who owns a home in Ocean City.
There were a few critics of the ordinance. Ron Hutchinson told council that he’s been smoking for 60 years and is healthier than most people in the room.
“What I’m upset about is not necessarily the smoking, but you have enough rules for the beach. Go read them,” he said. “You can’t make a perfect world. This is what some people are looking for.”
He suggested those that don’t like smoking move upwind.
“My freedom is being taken away,” he said.
The city had already banned smoking on the boardwalk and in all playgrounds and parks.
The ordinance includes a fine of between $100 and $250 for a first offense, which jumps to $500 to up to $1,000 for additional offenses.
City officials have indicated the enforcement would be more informational the first year, and that there have been numerous requests from residents and visitors to ban smoking on the beach.
To contact Bill Barlow, email bbarlow@cmcherald.com.