Cigars, Pipes Could Get Carve-Out In New Florida Bill

TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/NSF) - A bill that would allow local governments to restrict smoking at beaches and public parks could be changed to exclude cigars and pipes.

Senate sponsor Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, filed an amendment Friday that would prevent cities and counties from restricting "the smoking of cigars that do not contain a filter or a plastic tip or the smoking of pipe tobacco in a pipe."

The Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee are expected to consider the bill (SB 224) and the proposed amendment during a meeting Monday. Under current law, the state controls the regulation of smoking throughout Florida.

The bill would allow cities and counties to regulate it at beaches and parks that they own.

A House version (HB 105), which has been approved by two subcommittees, does not include a carve-out for cigars and pipes.