Okaloosa County is considering implementing a smoking ban within all County-owned public parks and public beaches. During a Tuesday afternoon Board of County Commissioners meeting, the board discussed the possibility of a ban.
The smoking ban is made possible by Chapter 2022-213, a law signed by Governor DeSantis on June 24, 2022, which amended the Florida Clean Air Act to allow counties and municipalities to restrict smoking in public beaches and parks they own.
- Several other counties and cities in Florida have already enacted ordinances banning smoking in their public parks or beaches, including Fort Walton Beach, Panama City Beach and Pensacola.
According to Deputy County Administrator Craig Coffey, the main complaints the county receives are about smoking debris rather than actual smoking. Coffey says that smoking debris, including plastic vaping cartridges, is found at all of the county’s parks and beaches, and is particularly prevalent on the beaches.
- During the most recent International Beach Cleanup Day in September, volunteers collected 8,000 cigarette butts from 6 area beaches.
In response to this issue, a draft ordinance amendment to Section 16-43 would prohibit smoking in all County-owned public parks and public beaches. The amendment reads:
- “It shall be prohibited for any person 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.”
Commissioner Nathan Boyles voiced his concern over the use of the word “possess” in the amendment.
“I’m just thinking about the theoretical person who lights up a cigarette on the beach and is completely oblivious of this issue, has parked four blocks away and then somebody tells him, ‘Hey, you can’t do that here,’ he explained. “They put their cigarette away and then technically we’re saying, ‘Nope, you got to drudge back to the parking lot to put your cigs in your car.”
Coffey says that enforcement will be primarily educational, with warnings and limited fines given out for violators. The primary enforcement is expected to be performed by a safety and enforcement team on the beaches, which will also deal with other safety issues, vending, weddings, picnics, and other non-life safety activities. Under the new law, any law enforcement agency could enforce the ban.
Another concern that was brought up during the meeting is how the smoking ban would impact larger events that happen at county parks/venues such as the rodeo at the Baker Arena.
“I can’t imagine not allowing it [smoking] during the rodeo,” said Commissioner Carolyn Ketchel.
- Coffey followed up by saying that other counties have taken an approach to allow smoking if an event has a special permit where they specifically outlined that they do intend to have smoking at the event.
In the end, the Commissioners voted in favor of the direction of a smoking ban at all public parks and beaches in Okaloosa County. Staff will now work on the final details of the ordinance and will schedule a public hearing for January 17.
8 Responses
Why is unfiltered cigars allowed? Seems to be sexist and to benefit only men who are the primary smokers of cigars. This makes me question the ability of those who passed such a stupid law with that exception. I need to go and see how many other laws are sexist.
Why is that sexist?
Although I despise smoking and the debris, I despise more the rules and regulations being put on “free” Americans. What’s next? Perfume? The “wrong” clothing? I also want to know who counted the 8000 cigarette butts.
Really? You can’t imagine not allowing smoking at the rodeo? This is complete trash of reasoning. Why is your personal biased opinions able to effect your obviously cloudy judgment on whats fair? If you ban it from one location than ban it from all. You shouldn’t be allowed to pick and choose according to your personal preference. This is wrong on so many degrees. You all need to be investigated.
With the people Destin and Okaloosa Island attract as tourists from the great states of AL, MS, LA, GA and AR…HA! HA! HA! You ain’t gone git them necks to put out they cigritts. Laughable and so naive- my God the level of Destin pretentiousness has reached new heights!!
I think it’s a great idea. Many beaches have banned smoking. It’s offensive and it would be so nice to be able to walk outside anywhere and not smell awful “skunk”!!!
As a person with allergies but loves the beach, I have encountered many instances in which I had to relocate in order to try to alleviate the possibility of being in direct fire of cigarette smokers. We stay at a smoke free facility on the beach but there is always smokers on the beach. I applaud Governor DeSantis for taking this stand.
the only reason they put a smoking ban on all public parks and beaches is because that’s where homeless people tend to hang out that is the only reason. and I say that as a US Air Force Iraq war veteran who is homeless and the only place I’m allowed to hang out at during the day for whatever duration is Parks and beaches. they don’t care if you’re a veteran or not this isn’t about a clean Air act because if that was true they would ban cars and semi trucks which shit out all kinds of crap into the atmosphere just feet away from their stupid parking lot. and you’re not allowed to smoke in your car in the parking lot so yeah this is all part of another excuse to just add insult to injury from their other anti-homeless bill HB 1365.