Ocean City, Md. City Council is considering a ban on smoking on the beach.
Ocean City receives eight million visitors each year, and is seen by some as a chance to smoke in public, according to CBS Baltimore.
"This is very disturbing to a lot of people," said Ocean City councilman Brent Ashley. "I don't like it personally when I'm on the beach."
Ashley looks to have smoking on the beach made illegal, saying it is a problem for non-smokers.
"We get complaints about the secondhand smoke," Ashley said. "People who use the beach don't want their kids to be exposed to the secondhand smoke."
Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan said smoking is one of the three priorities for the council in its planning process for work sessions next month, The Baltimore Sun reported. Tax differential between the city and Worcester County and downtown development were the other two priorities.
"It's been talked about for a number of years," Meehan said.
He added that there is an environmental problem caused by the sand being littered with cigarette butts, and that smoking posed a health issue as well.
While Meehan supports the city being tobacco-free, he said it can become a reality with the correct use of enforcement and other alternatives. He added that debate and voting will take at least a month, The Baltimore Sun reported.
"This is all part of a lengthy conversation," Meehan said. "It's 2014. We all realize the issues that are involved. We want to be fair to everybody and allow areas for smokers."
Some of Delaware's smoke-free state beaches include Rehoboth, Dewey and Fenwick, while Bethany has a seasonal ban, CBS Baltimore reported.
"We're going to gain far more people who would appreciate a smoke-free environment than we would lose," Ashley said.
Meehan said that residents are divided on smoking at beaches, but "for the most part, people are in favor" of a ban, The Baltimore Sun reported. He added the issue would most likely be brought up at the city's council's next work session on April 16.
"We want to take everyone's concerns into consideration," Meehan said.
