NAPLES, Fla. — Naples City Council will meet on Tuesday to discuss banning smoking at public beaches and parks.
The idea of banning smoking goes back 20 years, and the new state law, since July 1, gives local governments like Naples the authority to ban smoking.
On Monday, Families like Carolina Dominguez said they are in support of the ban, despite her past.
“I am a former smoker I've been off the cigarettes for over 15 years I get it, you want to smoke,” said Dominguez.
Cigarette butts left in the sand, are a big reason for change according to a report by Chad Merrit, the Interm Director of Community Development in Naples.
On Monday, Dominguez said cigarette butts are all over the beach.
“As soon as I set camp today, I had three in my spot,” said Dominguez.
At the city council meeting Tuesday, according to Merrit's report, he said banning smoking would also eliminate health hazards like secondhand smoke.
“There were people like chain smoking in front of us, there was a woman in the water on a paddle board with a beach chair strapped down to it and she was smoking in the water," said one family at the beach.
In Merrit's report to the council, he said the state law, the legislature passed and the governor signed would give Naples the power to restrict smoking on public beaches and parks.
This is one of the first items on Tuesday's agenda where, at the meeting, city staff is recommending the council give direction on whether or not to move ahead with a smoking ban.
