After soliciting input from the public, the V.I. National Park announced that, effective immediately, smoking and tobacco use on all park beaches and within 50 feet of the waterline in both directions is prohibited.
Lloyd Morris, the park’s enforcement chief, said Tuesday that the smoking ban “includes cigars and pipes,” and that there had been no complaints from the public so far.
Morris said the rangers are not currently issuing tickets but rather aiming for “community support” on this issue.
One sign announcing the ban is up at almost all the beaches, and Morris said more will be installed when the signs arrive. Cigarette disposal receptacles are also on their way.
According to the park’s press release, the purpose of the tobacco prohibition on park beaches is to protect both visitors and the marine environment. Smoking and smoking debris pose a second-hand smoke hazard to park visitors and constitute a general safety and sanitation hazard on the beach.
Additionally the accumulation of toxic cigarette butts and other tobacco byproducts directly onto park beaches poses a hazard to park marine life. Birds and marine animals can ingest cigarette butts leading to choking, poisoning and/or death.
The plastic and toxic chemicals found in cigarette butts leach into the marine environment within one hour of contact with water, the release indicated. Over time this leads to the “bioaccumulation” of toxins from cigarette litter that is ultimately passed up the food chain throughout the marine environment.
Research has shown every littered cigarette butt can take from two to 25 years to breakdown as toxic chemical compounds are continuously leaching into the environment.
Smoke Free Beach signs and cigarette disposal receptacles will be ordered and installed in heavy visitor use areas, Morris said, adding that smoking is not allowed in the Visitors Center or within 50 feet of all park buildings.
Smoking is allowed in all other areas of the park, but the discarding of cigarette butts, tobacco products or any containers is considered littering and is prohibited.
