City Officials: No Exception To Smoking Ban On Newport Beaches
NEWPORT BEACH (CBS) — Addiction recovery groups can't get a special pass to smoke on Newport Beach's pristine coasts, city officials have decreed.
The city manager of Newport Beach had recommended allowing groups like Alcoholics Anonymous to get special permits that would allow them to smoke during meetings they hold on the beach.
City Manager Dave Kiff says several members of the groups smoke already and parks employees are often too intimidated to stop them.
Smoking has been banned on Newport beaches for seven years.
The city council has decided there should be no exceptions to the law. Instead, they plan to get more police on the beach to hand out tickets so parks employees don't have to.
