Florida may soon see a complete ban on smoking and vaping in all public areas if a new bill proposed by state Sen. Joe Gruters (R-District 22) is passed.
Gruters, who represents part of Charlotte County, announced the legislation during a virtual news conference today, emphasizing the environmental and quality-of-life benefits such a ban would bring.
During the conference, Gruters expressed his personal stance on the issue, saying, "As a member of the Senate in Florida and the guy who — I'm not a big fan of smoking of any kind anywhere — I think it infringes on my quiet enjoyment when I'm out in public. And what we don't want to see is what's happened in Vegas, in New York with smoking on the streets. The main feedback I got, because obviously when I came out for Amendment 3, was nobody likes the smoke, right? People don't want to go outside and smell it. They don't want to see it in public places."
If passed, the law would prohibit smoking in all public spaces, including streets, sidewalks, and parks. The drafted bill defines public places as:
“A place to which the public has access, including, but not limited to, streets; sidewalks; highways; public parks; and the common areas, both inside and outside, of schools, hospitals, government buildings, apartment buildings, office buildings, lodging establishments, restaurants, transportation facilities, and retail shops.”
The bill defines smoking as: “Smoking means inhaling, exhaling, burning, carrying, or possessing any lighted tobacco or marijuana product, including cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, and any other lighted tobacco or marijuana product.”
The bill is part of a broader effort by Gruters to establish regulations in anticipation of the potential legalization of recreational marijuana in Florida, as proposed in Amendment 3 on the upcoming November ballot, which he supports. Gruters expressed a desire to set up "guardrails" to ensure that, if recreational marijuana is legalized, there remains some form of regulation in place.
This proposed legislation follows the 2022 signing of House Bill 105 by Gov. Ron DeSantis, which amended the Florida Clean Indoor Air Act to allow local governments to restrict smoking at public beaches and parks. Now, Gruters seeks to expand those restrictions statewide, eliminating smoking in all public areas.
If the legislation is approved, the smoking ban would take effect on July 1 of next year.