Smoking along all of Oregon’s more than 360 miles of Pacific coastline would be banned under a proposal by the state Parks and Recreation Department. A ban on smoking in state parks, except in vehicles, campsites and some designated areas, was approved in February, and the state has begun warning smokers who light up there, although the state says it won’t start citing people until 2015.
The parks department says the coastal issue is environmental — that cigarette butts can last for years, even in a beach environment. And the environmental group SOLVE says cigarette butts are a top item in its annual beach cleanups on Oregon’s coast. The state will begin taking comments on the proposed beach blanket ban beginning Aug. 29. Already there’s a mix of reaction, with some people saying good riddance and others saying it’s another blow to American liberty.
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