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Park boss orders No Smoking

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The acting superintendent of the Virgin Islands National Park has snuffed out the smoking lamp.

Mike Anderson ordered a ban on smoking that includes cigars, cigarettes, and pipes at all 12 VI protected beaches.  It also prohibits smoking within 50 feet of the shoreline, according to a report in the Miami Herald.

Park Rangers are not yet writing tickets to offenders, the report added, “rather educating the public.”

Last month, Anderson said he might order the ban on smoking and invited public comments until Jan. 28.

It's not the health risks humans that prompted the ban.  It's because of the debris smokers leave behind: butts, cellulose filters, cellophane, and packaging materials which can damage the environment and threaten ocean waters and marine life.

14 thoughts on “Park boss orders No Smoking”

  1. The litter rationale simply makes no sense. The ban covers cigars and pipes. What threat of litter do they pose?
    And,if litter is the concern, how about banning all paper products and cans.

  2. Pete, I don’t know about pipes, but there is cellophane wrapping on cigars. That stuff is definitely a litter problem. Paper products biodegrade very quickly, and cans? Well, you have a point. Cans don’t and neither do plastic bottles.

  3. I think that Sunblocks are more damaging. I just left island and saw very few people smoking at the beach,but everyone has on sunblock. Why does anyone in the VI’s even sell sunblock that can damage the reefs?

  4. Let’s face it, Smokers are inconsiderate scumbags with attitudes. They obviously don’t care about themselves, the people around them who get to put up with their second hand smoke, and the environment around them. Hats off to the NPS for taking a stance on a problem.

  5. Take one look at todays pagan filled society and you will indeed see a much greater need of a clean up. What they really need to do is start to study the Torah + truly Obey the Ten Commandments on and off the beach. Shalom.

  6. YES!!! victory for us who love to breathe and not see cigarette butts in the sand that smokers ever seem to admit to leaving…
    (next time you are at the beach – look in the sand around you… and stop with the false equivalencies – meaning: why pick-on cigs and smokers because there is already litter? btw, it is illegal to litter…)
    This just made our day – next… onto real enforcement from those who do not care about the air we breathe and what litter they leave because they care little about themselves (beyond their addiction) – typical addict behavior…

  7. hmmm… I usually pick up empty drink cups and food trays at Trunk Bay after our lovely tourists visits. Locals are more carefull, they live here!
    Park rangers – start giving tickets for LITTERING, not eating, drinking, smoking, etc.!!!!!!

  8. Stink be gone!! Sorry smokers, but you smell. Smoke is smoke and it is pollution. Why smoke anyhow? It’s so unhealthy. I see no redeeming quality in it. Waste of money, waste of lungs, teeth, gums…

  9. My beach hat is off to you Mike Anderson!!
    Thank you.. Now I do not have to smell the awful stench of Cigars, Cigs and Pipes while enjoying the beauty of St. John beaches.
    And to you Cigar smokers… you know what the butt remains of a cigar looks like in the sand…. well… that says it all!

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