L.A. to get 13 miles of smoke-free beaches

updated 10:46 a.m. ET April 28, 2004

SANTA MONICA, Calif. - Los Angeles County is getting 13 miles of smoke-free beaches.

The City Council gave final approval Tuesday to a smoking ban on the sand, at bus stops and on much of the city’s historic wooden pier, a measure that Mayor Richard Bloom has promised to sign.

The new law is expected to go into effect sometime in the next six weeks, as is a similar Los Angeles ban. Together, the ordinances form a 13-mile span of beaches where smokers will be prohibited from lighting up cigarettes, pipes and cigars.

The bans represent a recent trend among Southern California coastal communities.

In March, San Clemente officials banned smoking on its beaches and piers in Orange County, while Solana Beach in San Diego County became smoke-free in October.

Santa Monica’s ordinance slaps violators with a $250 fine. The mayor and backing council members say the law is needed to protect the environment, reduce beachgoers’ exposure to second-hand smoke and keep the beaches clean. People will be able to smoke in designated areas on the city pier.

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