No more smoking on the beach

Jun 18, 2007
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www.rentalmetrocountry.com
Google translation:
Santo Domingo.- At the beginning of the new year, a ban on smoking will be introduced on the public beaches. This measure was initiated by the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources and adopted as a law during the readings in the House of Representatives, approved and passed on to the Senate. Here one agreed with 27 yes votes clearly the new law to which now from 1.1. 2018 will come into force.

Justification: Thousands of cigarette butts have been found and collected during inspections, especially on the highly frequented tourist beaches such as Puerto Plata, Cabarete, Las Terrenas, Punta Cana, Bayahibe / La Romana and Boca Chica / Juan Dolio. Especially in the filters is a high concentration of condensate. The high nicotine content has been proven to have a damaging effect on the offshore coral reefs.

The nicotine is soluble and gets into the coastal waters through the moisture, especially after rainfall, in large quantities. Here, nicotine causes a great deal of damage to the underwater world, not just coral, and fish have been studied in laboratories, and traces of nicotine have been detected.

The ministry of tourism could at least achieve that smoker zones are set up on the hotel beaches, but these are not directly on the beach, smoking corners are to be set up near the beach clubs.

Not only the smokers threaten from January fines, beach bar owners and hotel companies are also held accountable. They have the duty of supervision in their sections and must pay attention to the observance of the smoking ban. This also applies to restaurants on the beach and beach rentals. Penance can be up to 5 minimum wages. In case of recurrence, bars / restaurants / hotels, etc. may lead to temporary closures. These are valid for the first repetition for 1 week, then for one month and then for three months.
http://www.domreptotal.com/dominikanische-republik-rauchverbot-an-oeffentlichen-straenden/
 

Cdn_Gringo

Gold
Apr 29, 2014
8,671
1,133
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Pick on the smokers again. Nicotine is damaging the reefs, sure it is. A more pressing concern couldn't possibly be the dumping of untreated sewage, chemical waste, garbage or phosphates into the Oceans?

No excuse for smokers to be tossing their butts all over the place, that's just being lazy and I could see a fine for doing that in public, but just try to get a cranky tourist to pay a fine for smoking. The DR welcome wagon strikes again.
 

ramesses

Gold
Jun 17, 2005
6,672
809
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Pick on the smokers again. Nicotine is damaging the reefs, sure it is. A more pressing concern couldn't possibly be the dumping of untreated sewage, chemical waste, garbage or phosphates into the Oceans?

No excuse for smokers to be tossing their butts all over the place, that's just being lazy and I could see a fine for doing that in public, but just try to get a cranky tourist to pay a fine for smoking. The DR welcome wagon strikes again.

They have so much to fix...this is what they do. I make one shake their head in amazement.
 

Cdn_Gringo

Gold
Apr 29, 2014
8,671
1,133
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A new paramilitary police force will be created known as the Butt Police (BP). Cestur is too busy hassling the women on the beach, the PN too busy collecting their tithe, Amet has their hands full sorting out faulty brake lights and red light runners and DICAN facilitating drug shipments. We need more police and these folks, unlike Amet who stand under a shade trees, can sit under shade trees with binoculars handing out tickets as required.

Thus far the only group I have any sort of appreciation for is MOPC as they seem to help more than they hinder. It's a stupid rule brought into existence at a stupid time for stupid reasons by stupid people who can't see the forest for the single tree they are looking at.
 

Caonabo

LIFE IS GOOD
Sep 27, 2017
7,339
2,949
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Pick on the smokers again. Nicotine is damaging the reefs, sure it is. A more pressing concern couldn't possibly be the dumping of untreated sewage, chemical waste, garbage or phosphates into the Oceans?

No excuse for smokers to be tossing their butts all over the place, that's just being lazy and I could see a fine for doing that in public, but just try to get a cranky tourist to pay a fine for smoking. The DR welcome wagon strikes again.

"Oh Canada......"
 

Caonabo

LIFE IS GOOD
Sep 27, 2017
7,339
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Once again, the old expression "damned if you do, damned if you don't" comes to mind. The RD takes a positive position and step forward on an obvious health matter, and some here have nothing better to do than criticize it. I sit here and ponder, where are all the health-conscious and environmentalist factions within this forum defending this action? Second hand smoke? Dirty cigarette butts polluting the sand? There are many threads within this forum in regards to pollution, sanitation, and lack of rules and regulations to enact positive changes within the RD, well, here is one....and it's met with resistance from some. How surprising? As far as enforcement, we could probably eliminate tourists being handed tickets for this habit, but an enforcement upon the beachfront businesses could be expected, and will be appreciated.
 

Caonabo

LIFE IS GOOD
Sep 27, 2017
7,339
2,949
113
Pick on the smokers again. Nicotine is damaging the reefs, sure it is. A more pressing concern couldn't possibly be the dumping of untreated sewage, chemical waste, garbage or phosphates into the Oceans?

No excuse for smokers to be tossing their butts all over the place, that's just being lazy and I could see a fine for doing that in public, but just try to get a cranky tourist to pay a fine for smoking. The DR welcome wagon strikes again.

I can not speak of damaged reefs, or alleviating the burden upon them, as this is not my area of proficiency. I for one, will be very happy to be able to enjoy the beaches without stepping upon discarded cigarette and cigar waste, as well as not having to breathe in backwash from others and their respective carcinogens.
 

Caonabo

LIFE IS GOOD
Sep 27, 2017
7,339
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the same guys who enforce the helmet law

Helmet laws are being enforced nationwide. Maybe not as much so in tourist/expatriate areas, where these groups come seeking freedoms they do not normally enjoy elsewhere in their respective original settings. 100%? Of course not, but they are being enforced.
 

Cdn_Gringo

Gold
Apr 29, 2014
8,671
1,133
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Beaches are public. I can hear the uproar now when Lifestyles tells a Dominican (not many smoke but some do) they can't smoke on a public beach extending the width of the resort. But I agree that's what the oficials will try first with those businesses that don't have the clout to exempt themselves from becoming an enforcement arm of the govt.
 

Caonabo

LIFE IS GOOD
Sep 27, 2017
7,339
2,949
113
A new paramilitary police force will be created known as the Butt Police (BP). Cestur is too busy hassling the women on the beach, the PN too busy collecting their tithe, Amet has their hands full sorting out faulty brake lights and red light runners and DICAN facilitating drug shipments. We need more police and these folks, unlike Amet who stand under a shade trees, can sit under shade trees with binoculars handing out tickets as required.

Thus far the only group I have any sort of appreciation for is MOPC as they seem to help more than they hinder. It's a stupid rule brought into existence at a stupid time for stupid reasons by stupid people who can't see the forest for the single tree they are looking at.

You can always leave, and the world would become perfect. But, for how long?
 

Caonabo

LIFE IS GOOD
Sep 27, 2017
7,339
2,949
113
Beaches are public. I can hear the uproar now when Lifestyles tells a Dominican (not many smoke but some do) they can't smoke on a public beach extending the width of the resort. But I agree that's what the oficials will try first with those businesses that don't have the clout to exempt themselves from becoming an enforcement arm of the govt.

Not all beaches are public. This measure is specifically aimed towards public beaches, not private.
 

Uzin

Bronze
Oct 26, 2005
1,386
20
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It is not April's 1st yet is it !!!, good luck enforcing this law on Dominicans, but great rip off tool for whoever patrolling the tourist beaches. I'm glad I gave up smoking a long long time ago.....
 

Caonabo

LIFE IS GOOD
Sep 27, 2017
7,339
2,949
113
It is not April's 1st yet is it !!!, good luck enforcing this law on Dominicans, but great rip off tool for whoever patrolling the tourist beaches. I'm glad I gave up smoking a long long time ago.....

A. How many Dominicans have you witnessed smoking cigarettes on the beach?
B. How many foreigners have you witnessed smoking cigarettes on the beach?
Then again, it may depend upon which beaches you frequent most. The majority of Dominicans are NOT cigarette smokers. Those of a bygone era most certainly, as in most parts of the world. This is a positive. That awful hookah contraption is a whole different story, but there are laws against those as well. Congratulations on quitting smoking. It will be good to have you around much longer.