Just over two months since a legislation took impact permitting native Florida jurisdictions to limit smoking on their beaches and in government-owned parks, county commissioners for Monroe County have enacted such a ban.
Commissioners adopted an ordinance in August that makes it unlawful for individuals “in or on any County-owned public park or public beach to smoke, burn, ignite, inhale, exhale, or possess any cigarette, pipe, or other lighted tobacco product other than an unfiltered cigar,” officers mentioned in a written assertion.
Under the phrases of the ordinance, violators can face an preliminary fantastic of $100 for the primary infraction and $500 for extra violations, in line with the assertion.
The Florida Keys, a well-liked visitation website within the state, is situated in Monroe County and usually attracts tens of hundreds of tourists yearly to go to its public beaches.
According to the Key West Chamber of Commerce, almost 66,000 guests arrived within the Keys by airplane in January 2022 alone.
The resolution by the Monroe County fee occurred simply over two months after a brand new legislation took impact permitting counties and cities to ban smoking at their beaches and parks.
The legislation was accredited by the state House and Senate and signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis on June 24. It took impact on July 1.
The solely exception to the legislation is unfiltered cigars — that are nonetheless permitted below this new legislation.
