PHOTO BY VITALII ONYSHCHUK VIA UNSPLASH.COM
The Seminole County Commission voted unanimously Tuesday, April 14, to ban smoking and vaping in all county parks, joining 22 other Florida counties that have adopted similar restrictions under a 2022 state law.
County staff can now ask people to leave if they’re caught smoking in the parks, including in the bleachers at youth sporting events, where enforcement was previously impossible. Signs will also be posted throughout county park facilities.
For some reason, unfiltered cigars are exempt. The 2022 state law that gave counties and municipalities the option to restrict smoking in public parks included a late amendment that carved out unfiltered cigars.
The ordinance was brought to Seminole with support from Tobacco Free Florida. In Central Florida, Orange and Polk counties already had similar bans in place, and Kissimmee approved one earlier this year. So if you’re someone with a medical card who likes to go for hikes, be warned, you can’t pretend it’s just stinky tobacco anymore.
