CLEARWATER, FL — Ocean Conservancy applauds the work of Clearwater City Council as they look to join the growing list of Florida cities banning smoking and vaping on beaches and in parks. In a vote scheduled this evening, city leaders are expected to pass the second reading of the ban after unanimously passing the initial reading last Friday.

“This is a bold step towards protecting our precious coastal ecosystems and the health of Clearwater residents and visitors,” said Jon Paul “J.P.” Brooker, director of Florida Conservation at Ocean Conservancy. “Ocean Conservancy advocated strongly for this very important law, and we are thrilled to see Clearwater take this significant step – acknowledging that our beaches are not only places of leisure and enjoyment but also delicate ecosystems that deserve our utmost protection.”

Jon Paul “J.P.” Brooker, director of Florida Conservation at Ocean Conservancy, is available for interviews regarding the significance of smoking bans prior to tonight’s Clearwater City Council meeting. 

Clearwater will join cities like St. Petersburg, Sarasota, Jacksonville, and Miami Beach which have already enacted similar bans. Pinellas County is set to discuss a ban of its own in July.

Ocean Conservancy was one of the top advocates for the state legislation passed last year, paving the way for municipalities and counties to ban smoking on beaches and parks.

For more than 30 years, cigarette butts have been among the most commonly found items on Florida beaches during Ocean Conservancy’s annual International Coastal Cleanup. Over the last five years, cigarette butts have been among the top three items collected.

The butts are made of tightly packed plastic fibers that erode into smaller bits, which accumulate in fish and other organisms. This can impact animal health.                  

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To set up an interview with J.P., email Samantha Tausendshoen; [email protected]

About Ocean Conservancy

Ocean Conservancy is working to protect the ocean from today’s greatest global challenges. Together with our partners, we create evidence-based solutions for a healthy ocean and the wildlife and communities that depend on it. For more information, visit http://www.oceanconservancy.org, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.