Fort Lauderdale may soon make it illegal to flick cigarette butts

Fort Lauderdale on Tuesday joined a growing number of cities fed up with cigarette smokers who use beaches as ashtrays.

[Marc]

Thank GOODNESS! Finally. Please, someone put a stop to those filthy cigarette butts being tossed all over.

Drought or no drought.

[sig]

It's about time we stopped careless smokers from tossing their butt when they are done smoking. The earth isn't a trash can, I'm sick of picking up butts from my lawn and seeing the ugly piles of discarded butts that litter every street. Smoke if you must but what makes you think you have the right to throw your stinking butts out the window when you are done with them.

[Sick of Smokers]

Add restaurant and store fronts to the list of places where you can't smoke. I'm sick and tired of inhaling 2nd hand smoke while I'm in the waiting area (indoors/outdoors)!

[Miffed]

It is just time to ban smoking anywhere, there is no need to allow anyone to smoke.

[coconut creek]

omg come on now this is crazy so we smoke r u going to go to jail or get a 25.00 fine PLZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ r u taken enough taxes from me now

[DRAGONMAN]

when they outlaw flicking butts only outlaws will flick butts!

[OUCH]

its illegal to
kill,rob,rape.......

but the police aint doing much about that.

[BirchFLL]

We do not need this law. It adds unnecessary intrusion of government into our lives. At the same time, I believe we need some restrictions for the sake of our health.

The comments of some people are unbelievable. We should not throw our waste indiscrinately into our parks and public areas. You have a civil responsibility for the health of our environment and our families. People are self-centered and flaunt their ego.

This is not communism. It is common sense. Political correctness has rendered the acts of publicly obeying the Constitution as unpatriotic. Upholding freedom of speech is a crime. If you do not believe the partisan politics of the Democrat and Republican parties, you are an idiot. This is political correctness in its worst form.

We have stooped to new levels of behavior. We don't care about others within our radar screen. It is not surprising that this forum attracts all the trolls and losers in life. The lack of intelligent comments reveals this unsightly fact.

Someone must say, "Stop the insanity!" We need a breath of fresh air.

[BirchFLL]

*Indiscriminately

I apologize for the error.

While another poster (OUCH) makes a good point, that doesn't mean I shouldn't care about the health of others.

[just another opinion]

omg

[Fritz]

Get rid of the smokers today! Then all the obese people tomorrow! Then they can find another target for what they don't like ... maybe people with blue eyes? Dark skin?
Tobacco is a legal product in this country, last time I checked.

[BirchFLL]

Fritz wrote:

Get rid of the smokers today! Then all the obese people tomorrow! Then they can find another target for what they don't like ... maybe people with blue eyes? Dark skin?
Tobacco is a legal product in this country, last time I checked.

That's true. I was simply advocating responsible use of smoking.

[Bongo]

Fritz wrote:

Get rid of the smokers today! Then all the obese people tomorrow! Then they can find another target for what they don't like ... maybe people with blue eyes? Dark skin?
Tobacco is a legal product in this country, last time I checked.

Tobacco is a legal item, just like guns or knives to some extent. It is not that you have it, it is how you use it irresponsibly that makes it a problem. Smokers are their own worst enemy. If they were responsible and conscientious this probably would not be happening, but they feel that they are better than other people and should not be held to task for their habit. Ban smoking completely from the beach.

[Bob in Boca]

Oh great. A new law.

Look, it's good to come down on butt flockers, but really...who's going to enforce this?

The "Butt Police"? Give me a break...

The police are so overwhelmed they can't keep up with all the idiots down here.

[Arthur W Currie]

Tobacco!Smoak till your brains fall out,or get Lung Cancer like me.Thats your right.But who says other people have to put up with your trash on the beach???,or any where else for that matter.You have rights as long as they don't step on other peoples rights.I smoaked for 30 years.Good Luck...

[DRS]

ANd what about Beer cans,bottles,Wine bottles,Beer Caps,And On and On and On,and a Few ADULT THINGS Laying on the Beach,Their Allowed Right...Who goes to your Beach anyway...........

[DRS]

Fritz wrote:

Get rid of the smokers today! Then all the obese people tomorrow! Then they can find another target for what they don't like ... maybe people with blue eyes? Dark skin?
Tobacco is a legal product in this country, last time I checked.

And all the Greedy Rich and Holier THEN THOUGH NEXT..Who think they OWN FLORIDA...

[DRS]

Sick of Smokers wrote:

Add restaurant and store fronts to the list of places where you can't smoke. I'm sick and tired of inhaling 2nd hand smoke while I'm in the waiting area (indoors/outdoors)!

But you like drinking all that booze,and eating all that transfat right ?

[MyPerspective]

Bongo wrote:

<quoted text>
Tobacco is a legal item, just like guns or knives to some extent. It is not that you have it, it is how you use it irresponsibly that makes it a problem. Smokers are their own worst enemy. If they were responsible and conscientious this probably would not be happening, but they feel that they are better than other people and should not be held to task for their habit. Ban smoking completely from the beach.

What smoker "feels they are better than other people?" Just a tiny bit of paranoia, don't you think? I don't believe any responsible person, smokers included, would mind this law.

[RED BARON]

I thought flicking butts was already against the law (considered littering) except that no one really enforced it. I guess now they will actually enforce it. Whatever. This state has bigger fish to fry right now.