North Myrtle Beach moves to ban smoking, including e-cigarettes, on public beaches

As the city moves to address second-hand smoke complaints and cigarette-related litter, North Myrtle Beach could ban smoking on public beaches.

“It’s something we’ve discussed for years, and it’s probably the right thing to do,” said Mayor J.O. Baldwin in a North Myrtle Beach City Council meeting.

Council unanimously approved the first reading of an ordinance banning smoking and e-cigarettes on public beaches in the city. The ordinance still needs to pass a second reading before being enacted.

If passed, the ban would apply to public beaches, access points, walkovers and dune crossovers to prevent concentrated smoking areas on and around the shore.

As outlined in North Myrtle Beach’s Code of Ordinances, anyone who smokes in a prohibited area can be fined up to $100.

“As use of the beach continues to increase, concerns have been raised by residents and visitors regarding exposure to secondhand smoke, particularly in areas used heavily by families and children,” the ordinance says. “In addition, cigarette-related litter, including filters and vaping materials, is among the most common forms of debris found along coastal shorelines.”

Baldwin said signs announcing the prohibition would curtail a lot of the smoking, but the city wouldn’t assign people to monitor beaches for smoking. Instead, North Myrtle Beach would take a “complaint-driven” approach to enforcement.