New Jersey Park Smoking Ban Passes With Beach Amendment

Earlier today, the New Jersey Legislature passed a new law that will ban smoking in public parks, but after much debate, will allow for municipalities to designate parts of city beaches as smoking zones.

The bill is identical to what the State Senate proposed earlier this month, a more lenient version of a bill passed by the Assembly earlier this year, which would have banned smoking on beaches outright.

The bill passed the Assembly 64-8 and the Senate 30-3. Before it becomes law it must be signed Gov. Chris Christie.

In addition, smoking will be probated at all state parks and beaches. Fines are set at $250 for the first offense, $500 for the second and $1,000 for each offense thereafter.

Charlie Minato

I am an editor and co-founder of halfwheel.com/Rueda Media, LLC. I previously co-founded and published TheCigarFeed, one of the two predecessors of halfwheel. I have written about the cigar industry for more than a decade, covering everything from product launches to regulation to M&A. In addition, I handle a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff here at halfwheel. I enjoy playing tennis, watching boxing, falling asleep to the Le Mans 24, wearing sweatshirts year-round and eating gyros. echte liebe.