September is Tobacco Free Parks and Beaches Education Month

By Lacoadia Burkes, Acting Bureau Chief, Tobacco Free Florida 

(NAPSI)—As summer temperatures start to break, it’s a good time to focus on how important it is to keep our Florida beaches and parks clean. You may not be surprised to hear that cigarette butts are, by far, the most littered item in public places. When discarded, they can leak toxic chemicals and threaten the health of wildlife. They are also an eyesore and harm tourists’ perceptions of our otherwise beautiful and welcoming public lands. 

This September, in recognition of Tobacco Free Florida Parks and Beaches Education Month, there will be opportunities around the state to help clean local parks and beaches while sharing information about how toxic tobacco can be to people and the environment.

There are many great reasons to work together to make our shared spaces tobacco free. Cigarettes are not biodegradable, as some think. Each discarded butt introduces plastic, arsenic, tar, lead, ammonia, and more into the environment. Cigarette butts can also be harmful for children or small animals who come in contact with them. Cities and counties spend millions cleaning them up, and in addition to endangering people and animals they also threaten the tourism activity we all depend on. Other things associated with tobacco—including lighters and e-cigarettes—are also among the most harmful and common items found in park and beach cleanups.

There may be cleanup events happening in your area, offering opportunities to come together as a community and care for the beaches and parks we all enjoy. Visit TobaccoFreeFlorida.com/Get-Involved to see if your county is hosting any events. 

Remember, it will take all of us to help keep Florida tobacco free. 

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"Cigarette filters poison our oceans and parks. Make your plan to quit smoking and protect our beautiful state. Get started at TobaccoFreeFlorida.com/QuitYourWay."