Miami Beach cigarette smoking ban goes into effect Jan. 1
MIAMI BEACH – New year, new rules for Miami Beach. You may put filters on your selfies, but don't expect to toss the filters from your cigarettes in the sand in 2023.
"For decades, Miami Beach has wanted to prohibit smoking on the beach, and finally this year, the state legislature and the governor has given local governments, like Miami Beach, the authority. No more cigarette butts on our sands," said Alex Fernandez, a Miami Beach Commissioner.
Fernandez says cigarettes are the most common piece of litter found at the beach, and that clean-up crews often find hundreds of them in the sand.
"It ends up in the stomachs of our wildlife, so not only does this new law help protect our environment, but also helps protect our wildlife and our own health," said Fernandez.
Despite the effort to make Miami Beach cleaner, some tourists like Yana Kogin say smokers should have more options.
"I don't think that's right. I mean, we live in a free country, and we should do whatever we want to do. I think there should be someplace, somewhere on the beach that should allow smoking," said Kogin.
Kogin isn't the only one who feels that way.
"I feel like they should at least have smoking areas or designated areas where people can smoke because it's vacation, it's leisure," said Marcus Smith.
Other visitors tell us they welcome the changes and think the city will benefit from the smoking ban.
"I think it's healthy so it's good to not smoke," said Geuleo Cineserelli.
"You see a lot of smoke butts and a lot of cigarettes all over the sand, it's not pleasant to see it, it's not fun to go around it and generally there's a dirty vibe. And if you are clean from that, in the beach then it generally gives a clean environment and it says something about the city and municipality too, that they're trying to take care of the city and this is just one step of it," said Eli Razimorapter.
Starting Sunday, January 1st, anyone smoking cigarettes or other tobacco products on Miami beaches can receive a $100 fine for the first offense, a $200 for a second offense and the possibility of jail time after a third offense.