No Smoking on Wrightsville beach? Police state?

[Hack N Shack]

Wrongsville NC. maybe if all the kooks stopped coming they wouldn't have the means or reason to make these ridiculous laws by milking them (and surfers) for all their money through parking fees and all these new fines. Reclaim WB, LOCALS ONLY

haha which will never happen

[brandx]

I invite you to attempt to defend your claim that someone drinking BEER does not present the potential to endanger the health of another individual. Please define and expound upon what a "healthy" public place is and the government's role in regulating it. Define "suffer." And, finally, please explain this completely nebulous statement by offering other examples to support your argument and define proper depth and breath of claimed responsibility in the means through which it is applied and enforced (I fixed your grammar too): "Any action that someone takes that directly *affects the health and well being of another individual without their consent should not be allowed."

-This should be entertaining-

One note on this point
I have asthma - secondhand smoke triggers my asthma and therefore directly inhibits my ability to breathe
Which is a more basic right in your mind - the ability to smoke where desired or the ability to breathe ?

I don't care if someone else damages themselves but I really do like to be able to breathe[/QUOTE]

I'm sorry about your condition. However, should we also ban diesel vehicles, motor boats, restaurants with open grills, people who over-use perfume or cologne (actually, that could be a ban I can get behind) and pollenating plants because they are known to trigger asthma attacks? Of course it's one thing to ban certain things in indoor environments (I love being able to come home from the bar without smelling like an ashtray). But outside, really?[/QUOTE]

I'm not supporting a ban on anything - just showing a different point of view
of the things you mention nothing triggers my asthma like cigarette smoke does
for the most part I can avoid things that trigger attacks - I know where all the things you mention will be for the most part except for smokers and perfume wearers, who seem to not consider how their choices affect others.
I know my viewpoint is naive to think that everyone should consider others and not act entirely selfish, that is not a principle on which our current society is built.
That whole golden rule thing and our personal rights don't get along - if we did things according to that then we wouldnt even need laws.
Is it really so hard to ask someone next to you if they mind if you smoke right there or jsut move away from people a bit ?

[sandfly]

Checking the cam on wblivesurf... Finally something decent and of course I'm stuck at the office... I happened to see this: http://www.wblivesurf.com/news.asp?id=2482

I know that the fear of "The Government" lurking to take away our freedoms runs strong in some of you. But before you go all up in arms, who's behind that smoking ban? A local activist and the Cape Fear Surfrider Foundation. Not Barack Obama (who by the way surfs and smokes)...

Anyway... enjoy the surf you lucky bastards! ;-)

[KillaKiel]

You need to drop the polite act. Polite should be the last thing on your mind when you see someone littering on your spot.

Anyway, in regards to Wrightsville Beach--they already have litter ordinances on the books. This proposed law is not about litter. If they were concerned about litter, THEY WOULD ENFORCE THE LAWS ALREADY ON THE BOOKS. This is about so much more and typical of the "new" Wrightsville Beach Board of Aldermen that has been in existence for over a decade now--70% or so transplants that haven't even lived in NC for more than a decade much less WB. Their municipal government now resembles more of a hyper HOA than a town government. It's a slippery slope when something like this becomes law, hopefully a citizen of WB will have enough sense and the cojones to take this to court--there's legitimate questionable legality in that.

My opinion at least...

Good point! The success of Project Exile in Richmond, VA applied this principle (regarding the enforcement of existing laws pertaining to assault weapons). Perhaps there is no need for many new laws

[TM79]

As a former long term resident of Wilmington/WB (and a smoker), this doesn't surprise me at all. I have mixed feelings about it. I certainly agree that this wouldn't even be an issue if it weren't for the folks that threw their butts everywhere. They are the reason for this. If people would respect their environment, you wouldn't see as many of these bans. I guess that's just the way it goes. A few ruin it for everyone. Either way, I'd head to the OBX any day over WB now. That place just gets more and more jacked up.

Wrightsville Beach is determined to keep the "small town feel" even though they're located next to a fairly large city and at the end of an interstate that spans the entire country. Get ready for more regulations! I'll be somewhere else, not putting up with their BS.

[JERSEYboarder]

this is a realy interisting conversation.. i would just like to talk about some of manasquans fines and tickets..i was walking my dog on the "boardwalk" in manasquan on april 1st and got a ticket because no dogs on said "boardwalk" april 1st through november somethingth. the cop wanted to hear nothing about how it was the first day of the restriction..but at least it was only $50..on the back of the ticket there was a list of possible fines..not sorting glass out of recycling..$104 fine?! i feel bad for whoever gets hit with that..and having garbage or recycling cans on wrong day was another 75 i believe..and drinking in public was something like $305..thats crazy...im not sayin i was innocent of walking my dog i just thought some of the other fines were rediculous

[bensurfn]

I am completely for the ban. I was surfing near crystal and I picked up 60 cigarette butts in about five minutes. That's insane, not to mention the awful smell. I mean seriously, there are trash cans for a reason.

[bensurfn]

creating legislation to fine litterbugs would be a better deterrent and would preserve freedom to enjoy the beach. banning smoking is misplaced if you ask me.

Littering has been illegal for a pretty long time and clearly has no affect. It's time wb takes that extra step in banning.

[aka pumpmaster]

all you pro ban people need to read this:

First they came for the communists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me.

Smokers today then what? surfers? it s easy to do...'these surfboards and their sharp fins are a public hazard, ban em'. i can hear that now at a town council meeting.

[Kahuna Kai]

Agreed Pumpmaster, that's pretty deep. Maybe they'll ban laughing and talking above a whisper too.

On another note, NC makes/made a lot of their income on tobacco. If they ban smoking, I see no way they can make up that income by levying fines.