The City Council of Cape May, NJ, recently rejected a proposed ban on smoking on all of its beaches, public parks and its oceanfront boardwalk. If it had passed, the ordinance would have set a minimum penalty of $100 for violators, with maximum penalties for repeat offenders as high as $1,250 in addition to a jail term of up to 90 days.

Several other beaches in the state either ban or have significant smoking restrictions in place, and more than 100 local communities already restrict smoking in their municipal parks.