SURFING SOAPBOX:Beaches not the place for butts

Walking into the grocery store the other evening, I ran into an old friend who asked me what the deal was with enforcement of the cigarette code in this town.

My reply was that I really didn’t know. Cigarettes aren’t allowed on the beaches; however, who is there to enforce it — the marine protection officer?

I’m guessing here, but I could say with near certainty that the officer is busy patrolling the seven miles of beach looking for marine life violators.

So what does it really resolve to make silly laws that can’t be enforced?

Don’t get me wrong; I hate cigarettes — especially on the sacred sands of the beach. But who is there to enforce it — everyday beachgoers?

Probably not.

And here’s another one to ponder: you can’t smoke on the beach or in the bars, but does the city and/or the establishments put out ashtrays for people to use when they step outside for a smoke?

In most cases, no.

On any given morning you can find hundreds of cigarette butts discarded along the sidewalks in front of these watering holes in town.

So what good is it to ban smoking them on the beach when they all get washed down the drains anyway and still end up there?

Why is that with all the environmental awareness programs and recycling, people who smoke feel it is OK to just throw their cancer sticks away, as if it wasn’t littering.

People have the nerve to flick them out their cars as they drive.

What is that?

Maybe we should stop making silly laws banning smoking and start banning people.

I mean, it’s your choice if you want to smoke your gut-wrenching cancer sticks.

Just keep your butts off my beach.

Peace.