For Immediate Release
Contact: Jeff Tittel, NJ Sierra Club, 609-558-9100
Governor Murphy is signing S2534 (Sweeney)/A3798 (Calabrese) into law today. The bill was written to revise the "New Jersey Smoke-Free Air Act" to prohibit smoking on public beaches and parks. Cigarettes have caused forest fires in the past and by allowing smokingin our parks we are putting them at risk for destruction. They could damage picnic areas or historic buildings. They could also set areas of beaches on fire, including picnic tables or boardwalks. Fairleigh Dickinson University released a poll recently that finds 75 percent of New Jerseyans oppose smoking and vaping on the state's public beaches.
“This is a great day for our beaches and parks! Now going forward, they will no longer be turned into ashtrays! This is a victory for our lungs, communities, clean water and the environment! Now we won't have to deal with secondhand smoke while trying to enjoy a day outside. Having smoke free beaches and parks would encourage tourism, while protecting both our health and the environment. We brought this bill 10 years ago and now it is finally signed into law. Now, Governor Murphy has done the right thing by siding with the 75% of New Jerseyans who oppose smoking on beaches. Secondhand smoke can lead to health impacts, lung cancer, asthma and infections. Cigarettes also present environmental and safety problems. Stepping on cigarettes, especially in our parks cause serious damage,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “We want to thank the Legislature for continuing to push this bill and Governor Murphy for signing it into law that lets us take a breath of fresh air. Four times Chris Christie either conditionally vetoed or pocket vetoed this bill and the fifth time is the charm. It’s good to have a Governor that will sign environmental bills instead of vetoing them.”
Cigarettes are an environmental problem and safety problem. They can be ingested by animals and marine life or even children playing in the sand or at the park. An article published in Current Environmental Health Reports, a scientific journal, found that around 4.5 to 6 trillion cigarettes worldwide do not end up in ashtrays instead littering our streets and beaches. Cigarette butts have been found in stomachs of animals like whales, sea turtles, and birds, which could lead to death. Cigarettes contain toxins like nicotine and pesticides in their plastic fibers further harming the environment. They could damage picnic areas or historic buildings. They could also set areas of beaches on fire, picnic tables or boardwalks.
“The state spent millions of dollars restoring the shore after Hurricane Sandy this law prevents our beaches and boardwalks from becoming giant ashtrays. Cigarettes are bad for our health, our environment, and our safety and we applaud towns that take measures to prevent them. More and more cities and towns took an initiative for smoking bans and the state has listened. Now we have legislation to make smoking illegal on all beaches and parks. Now kids biking on the Delaware and Raritan Canal won’t have to breath in someone’s cigar,” said Jeff Tittel. “No Butts about it, this will be an important state law!”
Smoking bans on beaches are already in place in 18 towns including Asbury Park, Avon By the Sea, Barnegat Light, Beach Haven, Belmar, Cape May Point, Harvey Cedars, Lavallette, Long Beach Township, Long Branch, Longport, Point Pleasant, Sea Girt, Seaside Park, Ship Bottom, Spring Lake, and Surf City.
“This new ban on smoking in beaches and parks will protect residents and the environment. This is especially important for children playing outdoors so they no longer breath in smoke. Many Towns have already put in place laws and ordinances dealing with smokingand now the state is following their lead. Now we can start protecting our children from second hand smoke stop turning our beachesand parks into ashtrays,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club.