New Jersey Legislature Approves Beach Smoking Ban

Nearly every square inch of parks and beaches in the state of New Jersey could be going smoke-free after the state’s legislature approved a bill on Thursday, sending it to Gov. Phil Murphy’s desk for his signature.

Thursday was a busy day for S2534, first passing the Senate by a 34-1 vote, which sent it to the Assembly where it was approved by a 66-1-2 vote, which set up a final 32-1 vote back in the Senate.

The bill is notable because it would apply to any park or beach in the state, regardless of which municipality has supervisory authority over the space. It includes a provision that up to 15 percent of the total area of the beach, which would be designated by the municipality or county by ordinance or resolution as a smoking area. It also does not include any parking lot that is adjacent to, but outside of, a public beach or park, or to golf courses.

While the bill does not specify who is to enforce the ban, it does spell out penalties for violators, which start at $250 for the first offense, $500 for the second offense and $1,000 for each subsequent offense.

If the governor signs the bill, it will go into effect 180 days after that date.

Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for Major League Baseball, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.