Patrolled beaches
Patrolled beaches often attract large numbers of people particularly families with children. Smoking on these beaches can expose others to the effects of passive smoking.
The breathing in of tobacco smoke by non-smokers can lead to harmful health effects in the unborn child, and middle ear infections, bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma and other chest conditions in children. It is also linked to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
Litter from cigarettes butts is also a problem for the environment and people’s enjoyment of the beach.
Since 1 January 2005, smoking is illegal between the flags on a patrolled beach.
A patrolled beach is a beach on which red and yellow flags mark the boundaries for safe swimming. The smoking ban includes the area between the flags and down to the water and then back behind the flags to any road or park.
For details on this new law go to the Tobacco and Other Smoking Products Act 1998.
This page last updated:
July 2006
Review date: October 2006
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