A new smoking ban goes into effect in Ocean City, Md. today, bringing to life legislation that was passed last August and has been under further discussion and development since. Earlier this year, the town council decided that electronic cigarettes would be included in the ban and designated smoking areas would be incorporated into the beach and boardwalk entry platforms, according to a report on DelmarvaNow.com. Nearly 150 metal barrels will be placed along the city’s 10 miles of beach, with smoking limited to within 15 feet of those barrels. New signage indicating the policy change is also being installed. On the boardwalk, the plan is to install knee-high stone ashtrays every few blocks. The council’s hope is that the policy can be self-policing and not require intervention from law enforcement. They are also hoping that it will result in less litter on the beach and boardwalk. Ocean City is located approximately 105 miles southeast of Baltimore and while it’s home to just over 7,000 residents, the area draws upwards of eight million visitors per year and summer weekend swells of more than 300,000 visitors.
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