56.7%

43.3%

100%

 I believe it should be banned but only  because people leave their butts behind and do not pick them up!   

Absolutely. This is very congested area where children play and are often influnced by what they see around them. They also don't need to be stepping on live cigarette butts tossed by inconsiderate smokers! Extend it to patios also!

Although I am a non smoker I don't  agree that smoking on the beach should  be banned.

Anything to get rid of the tobacco  scourge

As long as smokers put their butts in  the sand it ought to be banned. Over a  15 day period in July/August of 2008 I  picked up 669 cigarette butts from one  beach that is about 200 x 100 feet in  area. Over the entire summer I picked  up over 1200 butts from that same beach.  Yuk! Our children play in this!

Bicycles on the beach sidewalk and  dogs on the beach continue regardless  of signage and bylaws. You must have  your head in the sand if you think a  smoker is going to pay attention  to *No Smoking* signage in a large  beach area. Dogs and bicycles are easy  to spot but a person smoking a  cigarette? You'll never enforce it.

Breaches public parks get it out of  sight. Anything to lessen this DEADLY  scourge!

cigarette butts are not bio degradable

 Let's do the right thing for future  generations before there's *no  enviroment* to be cleaned up! A  resounding YES!

Unfortunately too many  people toss their butts.

I am a non smoker but I  feel that government has encroached far  enough into our lifes and do not  support this further proposed intrusion.

iF YOU ARE GOING TO  BAN DOGS FROM AALL YOUR BEACHES THEN  CERTAINLY YOU SHOULD BAN CIGERETTES.  tHEY ARE WAY MORE OFFENSIVE.

 It would be impossible  to enforce.

 Nonsmokers have rights  too ! This is going too far...

Smoking is no longer  appropriate social conduct anywhere  when persons are congregated and  children are present.

yes it should the beach are  full of children playing on the beach and  to walk on someone hot cigarette on  sand is painfull.

Cigarette butts create toxic litter that ends up in our waterways and on our beaches. Exposure to secondhand smoke is also a health hazard especially with so many people suffering from asthma and allergies to smoke.

 Too many people use the beach as an ashtray and more than a few people have stepped on live butts.

 Too many people use the beach as an ashtray and more than a few people have stepped on live butts.

enough with government interference in our lives

Far too many smokers leave their buts on the  beaches. Our natural environment shouldn't be  their ashtray.

How far do we want to go....it will  just drive smokers to break the law or  smoke on private property. Enough of  the nanny state.

I am a nonsmoker but I feel it would  be a tough call to make to ban smoking  altogether on the beach. Signs will  help somewhat. People still bring  their dogs to the beach and there is  No Dogs Allowed signs.

I believe smoking should only be  allowed when it affects no one but the  smoker.

I enjoy smoking. There is nothing like  a good cigar in the fresh air on a  breezy hot summer's day at the beach.  The beach is big enough that if my  smoking bothers someone they can move  elsewhere.

I strongly disagree with the councillors including the Deputy Mayor Luke Charbonneau who have been defending the right to smoke. Those of us on the beach including babies and asthmatics have the right to clean air in public places. Smoking around other people who may experience health issues needs to be stopped with a bylaw.

I wouldn't say ban smoking. As  mentioned in council report butt cans  would be appropriate in designated  areas. Give the Health Unit an inch  like we have and they will try several  more miles to get the whole province  Smoke Free. No.... I don't think so !

If smokers would stop using the beach as their personal ashtray then I wouldn't mind if people smoked outside. I just find it disgusting when you see cigarette butts everywhere. Cigarette butts are garbage so pick up after yourself.

I'm a nonsmoker. However the social  engineers have gone too far. Smoking  is banned in confined areas because  nonsmokeers are forced to breathe  polluted air. That is not the case in  the great outdoors. Banning smoking  at the beach is malicious spite. How  soon before we concede all our  freedoms to the tyrants who think they  know best how to live our lives?

It should be illegal to smoke in ANY  public place

It's a public place. Why not? Should include the entrance way to restaurants and stores as well!

It's definitely a public place and  there are so many children. Also  where do most smokers put their butts?  In the sand!!!!!

It's time to Protect the rights Of Babies and seniors too.

kind of redicules don t you think  government like taxes people should  know for them selves. it is an free  country is it not? how and what about  drugs that is even worse. there is a  lot to say about this subject.

My kids and I like going to the beach  but are often sitting near someone who  smokes. So gross. Just not sure you  will be able to enforce a ban like  this. Fingers crossed!

No I think they have more important  things to work on then this

No.....but have a clearly marked  designated area where you can smoke

Now you are being just plain silly...

Secondhand smoke is unacceptable in  any public environment  period!

Smokers don't think throwing their  butts on the ground is littering. Why  should my kids have to sort through  unsanitary butts to make a sand  castle. Or potentially step on a  tossed butt still hot in their bare  feet. Let alone the second hand smoke.

smokers have some rights also so butt  out and leave the beach alone. they  are ruining the beach as it is the  pavement so it can be a big park not  a beach the way it was in the 60's  was a beach

Smoking creates litter; especially in  outdoor locations. The smell is  obnoxious and drifts extensively. I  would love to see smoking banned on  the beach.

Smoking is disgusting on a good day why  should we ruin our beautiful beaches with  this terrible habit?

Smoking should be either illegal or  not. Since it's not I don't feel it  can be banned

That would be great but uneneforceable they don't stop open drinking of  alcohol or dogs running loose so it is  unlikely that they would enforce *no  smoking* which is less offenseive than  the other 2.

The disgarding of a used smoke should  be like littering fine

the health dept. has more things to  worry about than smoking at the beach  people contaminate the water so the  air can't be the main issue here  seems to me the health dept. wants to  rule the people 

THE HEATH UNIT SHOULD WORRY ABOUT WHO  IS GOING TO PAY FOR THIER POWER HUGERY BU SH THEY ARE MAKING TO MUCH  MONEY AMND DOING NOTHING

The local gov. shouldn't be banning  smoking. The Fed. gov. should make it  illegal once & for all. Look at the  lives it would save & the money it  would save our health care system!

There is no sense in enacting a bylaw  that can not and will not be enforced.

This is a fantastic idea. Unfortunately not everyone respects others by refraining from smoking when they are near other people. There is so much research to back this up there have been so many other municipalities/ cities that have went this way. It's time to jump on board.

this is a tourist town and business  needs the tourist if we are going to  ban smoking on the beach we should  ban it every where (I'm a non smoker  but people have rights)my father  fought in WW2 for freedom & choise If  smoking is such a problem send it up  to the federal & provincial levels to  make a law for all (see if their ready  to give up those sin tax dollars)

Too many people just bury their butts  in the sand.

tried to send comments.....301 words but  your system would not accept them  (Editor It is 400 characters not words)

We should be protecting our youth from  second hand smoke as well as helping  to keep our beach clean and safe for  all who use it!

Well if it kills a person yes why do i have to breath their crap ? cant take guns to beach?

While I don't like seeing people smoke on the beach a ban would be very expensive to enforce (more bylaw officers). I think most smokers use common sense and won't smoke near kids or leave their butts in the sand.

Why NOT ban smoking on beaches? When it comes to the health of our children there should be no discussion only action in their favour. Secondhand smoke is harmful even outdoors and cigarette butts are the most littered item in the world. Why pollute our beaches if we have other options?

within 100 yards of anyone else in  particular young children

yes

Yes that is a great idea! To stop  exposing us to second hand smoke  anywhere is a great idea! It's no  different than at a baseball game or  near a public building. Probably even  worse because of the shear numbers of  people and all the kids  seeing *adults* doing it.

Yes and why not ban swimming playing  in the sand and talking too.C'mon we  need more bylaws in this town! Nonsmoker

Yes i do..there is nothing worse then  getting all set up with your kids  umbrellas etc and someone sitting  somewhere beside you and you happen to  be downwind of their cigarette! yuck!  plus they always toss it in the sand!

Yes it should be banned in all public  areas. If a person wishes to smoke  let him/her smoke on or in their own  property. I continuously see smokers  discarding butts on the street or  other public areas. I also believe  that a smoking tax on health care  should be instituted as too much tax  evasion is happening today.

Yes smoking should be banned on the  beach. It should be banned in public  period.

Yes! Burned feet smelly butts....of  course it should be banned. Smokers  want to smoke stay out of the public  breath.

You can't tell people where to smoke  when they are outside.