Smoking ban considered for Vancouver beaches

Having a smoke at the beach may soon be an illegal act, if staff at Vancouver Coastal Health get their way.

Dominic Losito, the regional director of health protection for Vancouver Coastal Health said that since January, staff have been talking with their colleagues at the park board about extending current smoking bans in Vancouver at restaurants and entranceways to beaches, playgrounds, and playing fields in public parks.

It is unlikely any ban would be put in place this summer, though.

Staff at the park board are currently studying similar bans already in place on some beaches in California, and have yet to make any recommendations to the board, said board chair Korina Houghton.