Ocean City Takes Steps Toward Being Smoke-Free

OCEAN CITY (WJZ) -- Ocean City clears the air.

A new ordinance passed by the city prohibits smoking on most of the boardwalk and limits smoking on beaches.

Pat Warren reports, it follows the lead of other area beaches.

Non-smokers will be thrilled and if you're a smoker, you might be relieved to know Ocean City won't be asking you to quit cold turkey.

Signs of the times in Ocean City.

"This is the first time I've been back here in probably ten years," one tourist said.

A lot's changed --new cameras to keep an eye out,  new guidelines to keep civil tongue and new rules to keep your hands clean.

"One being open assisted knives and the second ordinance being laser pointers, both of these items are prohibited in the town of Ocean City," Ocean City police chief Ross Buzzero said.

Add to that list, smoking.

"Basically our beach and boardwalk will be smoke-free," Mayor Richard Meehan said.

Ocean City will decide on designated smoking areas no closer than 50 feet to the beach. Signs will be posted indicating legal smoking areas and there will be clearly marked receptacles for smokers to use year round.

"We followed really what our neighbors in the did in Fenwick Island and Rehoboth. They put in restricted smoking areas in their beach communities and we wanted to see how that worked for them," Meehan added.  "We met with them. They were successful in those areas."

Ocean City's smoking ban takes effect May 1st.

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