Recently, 65 parks in the East Bay Area in California banned smoking of cannabis or cigarettes in public.
Officials in the area have stated that they hope the new ruling will keep the region clean, and keep joint and cigarette butts out of natural habitats. Before this, the East Bay allowed smoking except on days when there was a high risk of fire. Even cannabis smoking was previously allowed, as long as smokers were 1,000 feet from public gathering places such as playgrounds or picnic areas.
Now, both Contra Costa and Alameda Counties have joined forces in order to keep smoking of all kinds out of the parks.
“We’re doing this for public health reasons,” Carolyn Jones, spokeswoman for the park, explained. “But also one of our primary missions is protecting our lands and the environment, and cigarette butts clearly can cause harm to fish and wildlife.”
This new ordinance is coming in response to many outcries by environmental groups like Save the Bay. These organizations feel that cigarette butts and the remainders of joints are hazardous for the environment.
“Cigarettes butts are a plastic, toxic trash going into the Bay,” explained Allison Chan, who works on a cleanup crew for Save the Bay.
However, there will be some exceptions to this new rule in order to maintain life as usual in the parks. Only a verbal warning will be given during an undetermined grace period while the law is new, and park employees will not have to abide by the law, since they are still entitled to their smoke breaks. Campers will also still be able to smoke, since campsites are like temporary homes where residents are expected to pack out what they bring in.
While enjoying an outdoor smoke is a great activity for the cannabis enthusiast, most will surely adhere to this law in order to avoid an unwanted fine, and help contribute to environmental protection.
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16 Comments
I’m all for environmental protection, but there is no plastic in joint remanence. Weed would just turn to mulch and paper deaerates as well. I think this is geared more towards the cigarette smokes if anything.
Just pick up your fucking trash you dirty heathens!
HAHAHAHAHAHA so this is a law that TWO categories of people do not have to follow but everyone else does?! That is a great law. I applaud you in the most sarcastic way as I can.
Just make it a 100% smoke free zone if you are so fucking scared for the environment.
Just pick up your trash…there is always a few people who ruin it for the masses.
People should just not litter and this wouldn’t be coming up.
“Park employees will not have to abide by this law” I don’t care why…that’s a double standard.
This law is just stupid. Just give littering fines and still let people smoke.
I think this is a good law. It protects children from second hand smoke as well as protected natural environments that should not be put in any more danger because of human activity. Although people who work there and campers should also have to follow this law. Smoker have a nasty habit of just tossing their butts everywhere.
Why can’t we all just be happy and smoke a joint together without littering?!
This seams so strange….but who am I to judge..
People just need to learn how to stop throwing their shit on the floor!
^^^^ That’s how we solve this stupid fucking law.
The law was put in place for the betterment of the people and environment but it is stupid that some people don’t have to abide by it and everyone else gets punished.
A law is a law. It can be repealed. Why is everyone getting so butt hurt over this?
…people are getting ‘butt hurt’ because it singles out the smokers but other smokers do not have to listen to it. THAT is why people are talking about it Pat.