By Robert Berger
Brian Gray needs to do a little fact checking before writing editorials against the proposed ban of smoking on the beach and pier (SMDP, March 15, page 4). First of all, he claims that an “official report” deemed the Santa Barbara Pier fire as being started in a kitchen restaurant. In fact, a May 6, 2003 staff report presented to the Santa Barbara City Council states that “the April 13, 2002 fire beneath the Nature Conservancy building was caused by a cigarette, causing $250,000 in damage.” The report goes on to list subsequent smoking-related fires and concludes “due to the frequency of cigarette fires on the wharf, the fire chief made a finding that a smoking restriction is necessary.” Mr. Gray also conveniently ignored the fact that a smoking-related fire on Seal Beach’s wooden pier in 2002, stranding dozens of customers at Ruby’s restaurant, led that city to ban smoking on its wooden pier. The Pier Restoration Corp.’s own May 1, 2003 staff report cited “450 cigarette-related fires on the pier” in a single year. The fact is that smokers are recklessly discarding their (often lit) cigarette butts on our beach and pier. It is, by far, the No. 1 source of beach litter. Do smokers have the right to pollute our beach and ocean, and threaten the health and safety of people and marine life? I think not. Do visitors to our “family-friendly” beach and pier, the vast majority of whom do not smoke, have the right to clean air and a safe experience? I think so.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 17, 2004. Read the original PDF.