Fort Myers Beach moves closer to banning smoking, vaping on beaches

FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. (WINK) — Fort Myers Beach Town Council moved one step closer to banning smoking and vaping in public parks and beaches during a meeting on Monday.

The council motioned to move on to the second reading with the possibility of adopting the ordinance. Businesses, neighbors, visitors and organizations all had something to say about it.

Fort Myers Beach is paradise for visitors Jessica Gross and Jenny Hukill.

"Oh, love it. In love with the beach. Love it," Gross and Hukill said.

But Hunter Shamilan, the owner of a vape and smoke shop on the island, said his paradise could be in jeopardy. The town is one hearing away from adopting an ordinance that would ban smoking and vaping in public parks and beaches.

Shamilan said this could hurt his business and that a ban on the beach might keep visitors from coming down to the area. But for Gross and Hukill, it's something they'd like to see in place.

"As a nonsmoker? I think that sounds great. It's excellent. I hate being I hate sitting at the beach and having somebody smoke blow over into my face. Yeah, I would love it. I absolutely, totally agree. I would love that," Gross and Hukill said.

The ordinance would ban anyone from smoking and vaping in places like Bowditch Point Park, Lynn Hall Memorial Park and the pier, which are owned by Lee County but within the boundary of the town of Fort Myers Beach. Town council members raised questions about whether this ban would include public beach access points and how enforcement would be carried out.

Sally Kreuscher, chair of Tobacco-Free Lee and the director of community health and benefits for Lee Health, said enforcement would be self-regulating.

"People will start to speak up and say, Hey, can you put that cigarette out? That type of enforcement is really that self-regulating," Kreuscher said.

Tobacco-Free Lee said it wants the town to follow in the county's and city of Sanibel's footsteps of banning smoking and vaping for everyone's health and safety.

"Having this ordinance pass would be a great step forward," Kreuscher said. "Nobody wants to be on the beach smelling other people's smoke and vape."

Fort Myers Beach Town Council is expected to have its second reading and possibly final adoption hearing of the ordinance on May 4 at 9 a.m.