Forget lighting up on the beaches and boardwalk of Belmar, N.J., as the Belmar Borough Council voted 4-1 to ban smoking in those areas at their May 6. While the ban comes just ahead of the busy summer tourist season, it will be year-round in the borough that is home to approximately 6,000 residents. Mayor Matt Doherty, who promised that there would be a vote on the issue in early March, cited cigarette butt litter as one of the key drivers for the ban, according to a report from NJ.com. He said it also clears up gray areas as to where smoking is and isn’t allowed, a problem that has made enforcement a challenge. The ban does not include e-cigarettes and the L Street beach one the west side of the borough is currently not included in the ban, but could be at some point in the future.
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