A cigarette butt is shown on Jacksonville Beach after a smoking ban was enacted. | Michelle Corum, Jacksonville Today
Published on May 6, 2025 at 4:24 pm
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Jacksonville Beach Council members voted in favor of a smoke-free beach May 5th, bringing it in line with the other Jacksonville beaches that ban smoking.
City Council members approved the ban at a meeting Monday. Public comment from Jacksonville Beach residents, Students Working Against Tobacco (SWAT) and health officials cited potential hazards of exposure to second-hand smoke and vaping in public spaces.
The city added language to include the use of electronic pens and e-cigarettes in the ban, as read by Councilman Greg Sutton:
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“… including cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, electronic pens, e-cigs and any other lighted tobacco or electronic vaping product.”
The final vote was unanimous. Smoking on the beach is punishable by a $50 fine.
Atlantic Beach was the first to have smoke-free zones in 2022, followed by Neptune Beach.
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