INDIAN ROCKS BEACH, Fla — Indian Rocks Beach could soon ban smoking, vaping, and e-cigarettes on its shores, with the city commission set to vote on the measure Tuesday night.
The proposed ban is driven by concerns over cigarette butt and filter litter on the beach. Unlike cigars, cigarette filters are not biodegradable, meaning once discarded, they remain on the beach until someone picks them up.
WATCH: Indian Rocks Beach smoking ban vote set for Tuesday night
Janet Ruggirello takes her morning walks on Indian Rocks Beach. As a former smoker, she supports the ban.
"I'm not crazy about it. I'm out here for my health and I do not want to be smelling someone else's cigarettes," Ruggirello said.
Tim Arnold lives in Hernando County but uses his metal detector on Indian Rocks Beach 2 to 3 times a week. Arnold is a smoker but said he understands where the vote is coming from.
"I flip my cigarette out and it goes in my pocket. The butt goes in my pocket all the time and then when I get to the trash can, its easy, its simple," Arnold said.
In 2022, the state of Florida amended the Florida Clean Air Act, which allowed local governments to ban smoking at or near public beaches. The proposed ban does not apply to cigars but does apply to vapes and e-cigarettes.
Both Arnold and Ruggirello said they do not see a large number of cigarette butts on the beach, but agree that even one is too many.
"We are metal detectors so we look at everything, and there's really not that many on the beach," Arnold said. "It's not a real big issue I wouldn't think, but I understand it too."
"There's people out there on a daily basis so sometimes you can find a butt down there but for the most part its clean," Ruggirello said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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