By: John Michael Pierobon
One hundred miles of Florida's beautiful sandy beaches lie within Florida's 175 state parks which cover 800,000 acres. State parks are magnets for families and an essential part of our shared natural heritage. They offer a sanctuary for relaxation, recreation and communion with the environment.
Yet, tobacco products taint this experience, because thus far the Florida state Legislature has allowed tobacco and nicotine to pollute the air, water, and soil in our state parks.
Tobacco trash includes chewing tobacco tins, cigarette packets, plastic cigarillo tips, plastic lighters, spent e-cigarette pods, and cigarette butts. Cigarette butts are by far the most littered items in the world and in our state parks. These toxic remnants take decades to decompose and mar the natural beauty of our state parks. They pose a danger to unsuspecting wildlife that may ingest or become entangled in them. By eliminating tobacco use in state parks, we can reduce litter, protect wildlife, and promote a culture of respect for the environment.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. National Toxicology Program, the U.S. Surgeon General, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer have all classified secondhand smoke as a known human carcinogen. Secondhand aerosols from electronic cigarettes contain harmful substances, including nicotine, heavy metals, volatile organic compounds, and cancer-causing agents. Children exposed to secondhand smoke are at increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome, ear infections, colds, pneumonia, bronchitis, and more severe asthma.
Secondhand smoke exposure during pregnancy has been found to cause pregnancy complications, and low birth weight.
California, Hawaii, Maine, New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and even Mexico, do not permit smoking in their parks or on their beaches. Florida is at a competitive disadvantage with these tourist destinations because tobacco-free parks and beaches have proven to be successful in enhancing tourism.
State parks are especially popular destinations for families with children. Research confirms tobacco-free policies are effective in preventing youth tobacco use. Allowing tobacco use in our state parks sends a dangerous message to our impressionable youth. Tobacco-free state parks would preserve family-friendly spaces and safeguard our children.
Smoldering cigarette butts might seem inconspicuous, but they harbor insidious threats to our environment. Discarded cigarette materials are a leading reason for human-caused wildfires in national parks, and similarly pose a direct danger to our state parks. A flicked cigarette butt can turn into a blaze, endangering visitors, wildlife and surrounding communities. Implementing a tobacco-free policy would significantly reduce this risk, and insure our state parks remain a haven rather than a fire hazard.
This is not about depriving individuals of their rights, because no one has the right to pollute the air, water, and soil, and endanger wildlife.
Protecting and enhancing Florida's state parks by making them tobacco-free exemplifies family values, personal responsibility, and environmental stewardship. Legislators have the opportunity to lead by example by introducing in the upcoming session a strong bill to make all of our state parks tobacco-free.