A recent study conducted by Action on Smoking and Health has spotlighted rising support to implement a prohibition on smoking at beaches, with Cleethorpes beach in Lincolnshire included. The study is part of a larger campaign and gathered views from 1,125 individuals across Yorkshire and the Humber, discovering that 61% advocate for beaches to be void of smoking.
Local resident Maciej Gorski, who appreciates the remaining legal smoking areas, posits that designated areas for smokers could offer a solution. He reminisces about shifting attitudes towards smoking, remembering when lighting up in a pub was routine. Meanwhile, Steve Granger, a beach visitor and smoker, advocates for the ban, underlining the necessity of appropriately discarding cigarette ends, particularly around minors.
Another local, Jayne Fitzpatrick, supports the prohibition on cigarettes but not on vapes, referring to the potential risks linked to lit cigarettes. While there are currently no bans on smoking at Lincolnshire beaches, the notion follows similar voluntary restrictions in East Sussex.
On the other hand, Simon Clark with the pro-smoking association Forest debates against the restriction, asserting there is no health danger to others on the beaches. Clark suggests the addition of more outdoor public ashtrays to control litter.
As the Tobacco and Vapes Bill makes its way through Parliament, the call for smoke-free outdoor spaces escalates. The public opinion in Lincolnshire seems to echo a nationwide trend towards stricter smoking regulations.
This story is an adaptation by The Lincoln Post using original reporting from www.bbc.com.
