NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) An ordinance to ban smoking in the City of North Myrtle Beach passed a second and final reading before City Council Monday night.
The amended ordinance, that removed any mention of e-cigarettes, passed a vote by the City Council in North Myrtle Beach.
As with it's first reading in January, the ordinance received a split vote Monday night with Mayor Hatley casting the receiving vote in favor of the ban.
View the final adopted ordinance here
Smoke Free North Myrtle Beach President Jay Specter said he hopes more research will be done on tobacco free e-cigarettes.
"No telling what's in them," Specter explained. "People suck on this cartridge because it gives them a nicotine buzz, but the people have no idea how it's affecting their health or the health of the people around them."
North Myrtle Beach resident Hugh Gassaway spoke during public comment time in Tuesday's meeting, and said he believes council made the wrong choice.
"This is supposed to be a decision based on fact as opposed to emotion," Gassaway stressed. "Tonight's decision is the opposite, a decision based on emotion as opposed to fact."
The ban effectively eliminates smoking in all public workspaces, and in many outdoor venues as well such as public parks and baseball fields.
Outdoor areas affected by the ban are allowed to have designated smoking areas under the new law.
Now that the ordinance has passed, it will go into effect in thirty days, on March 7.
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