Dewey Beach begins first smoke-free summer season

This weekend marks the first major test of the smoking ban at Dewey Beach as crowds flood the coast for the Memorial Day holiday. This month, the city joined Bethany Beach, Fenwick Island and Delaware’s state parks in banning the practice along the water. Dewey Beach Mayor Diane Hanson says most people support the new law, which also prohibits smoking on adjacent dunes and municipal parks. But she adds not everyone was pleased.

“I was accused by one [resident] as being a member of the Taliban because I’m putting too many rules in,” Hanson noted with a laugh. “But you get used to that sort of thing. The opposition has been extremely far and few between and in mostly small groups who feel it is an infringement on their rights. But they may have a right to smoke, but other people have a right to breathe fresh air as well.”

Hanson adds while a violation carries a fine of $50 dollars along with a $50 court fee, she expects most beach goers will be self-policing. “If someone is smoking on the beach, I would hope that someone — a property owner or a tourist who’s familiar with the law, or a lifeguard — would go over and say ‘I’m sorry ma’am or sir, but are you aware there’s a smoking ban’ and in most cases a reasonable person under those circumstances would put it out,” Hanson said.

Hanson adds that littering cigarette butts also comes with a $100 fine. She says the city enacted the law to improve the air quality for visitors and reduce litter in the sand. Dewey Beach is the third municipality along the Delaware coast to ban smoking on its beach, the dune area and crossovers.

http://www.wdde.org/44500-dewey-beach-smoking-ban