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Hernando County

Hernando County passes smoking, vaping ban at parks and beaches

The ban will be effective starting May 15.

Credit: AP

FILE - In this Aug. 28, 2019, file photo, a man exhales while smoking an e-cigarette in Portland, Maine. Health officials investigating a nationwide outbreak of vaping-related illnesses have, for the first time, listed the vape brands that are most commonly linked to hospitalizations. Most of the nearly 2,300 people who has suffered lung damage were vaping liquids that contain THC, the high-inducing part of marijuana. In a report released Friday, Dec. 6 the government listed the THC-containing products that patients most often said they’d been using, noting that some patients vaped more than one. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)

BROOKSVILLE, Fla. — Smoking and vaping will be banned in Hernando County parks and beaches starting May 15, according to a news release.

The Hernando County Board of County Commissioners unanimously passed an ordinance back on Dec. 12, 2022, county leaders said in a statement.

The county said "no smoking or vaping" signs will be installed at all the local parks and beaches.

“Secondhand smoke is still dangerous,” Robert Talmage, Hernando County Parks and Recreation Administrator said. “Helping reduce the risk of exposure for citizens and children while they partake in recreation is a great achievement for our community.”

During the 2022 Coastal Clean Up, 974 cigarette butts were collected in one day from Linda Pederson Park all the way to Bayport, the county explained.

“They cause degradation of our waterways,” stated County Commissioner and Chairman, John Allocco. “We are trying to protect taxpayer dollars and your investment in our parks.”