WELLS — The town of Wells is considering banning smoking on its beaches.

The Board of Selectmen held a workshop on Tuesday after a member was approached by constituents about the issue, said Town Manager Jonathan Carter on Thursday. The board received feedback from the audience, and a representative from York Hospital’s Choose to Be Healthy coalition provided statistics on similar ordinances from surrounding communities.

Choose to Be Healthy works on grant strategies for the Healthy Maine Partnership and Drug Free Communities, and with law enforcement, schools, municipalities, retailers and food security organizations.

Under the proposed ordinance, which is still in its draft stage, smoking of any tobacco product would be prohibited. This would apply to any lighted or heated cigarette, cigar or pipe, or any natural or synthetic plant product ignited for inhalation.

The law would also prohibit the use of electronic smoking devices such as e-cigarettes and vaporizers intended for smoking tobacco products.

“There have been reports of people wanting this to be implemented because of the amount of trash that includes cigarette butts, cigar butts and so on,” Carter said. “It’s unsightly, it’s unpleasant, small kids pick (cigarette butts) up, they get entwined in the seaweed … our people tell us there’s hundreds of them.”

“On a very hot, sunny day when the tide is in and everybody’s cramped in there, it’s very unpleasant to have very heavy smoke in the area,” Carter said.

But on a very hot and sunny Thursday afternoon at Wells Beach, few people could be seen smoking. Those who were said they don’t see the point in banning smoking on beaches because they are open, public areas.

“I think we have a tendency to push things too far just to see where it goes. This is too far. It’s outdoors,” said Mark Rowen of Burlington, Vermont, who was smoking grape-flavored smoke out of a vaporizer pen. “It’s outdoors, the wind is blowing, and it’s not even a real cigarette. It’s a vapor, which is not smoke.”

When asked about pollution from cigarette butts, Rowen agreed that littering is an issue, and should not be tolerated.

“Some people are inconsiderate. Littering is a problem. If you’re going to smoke, you need to take care of the butt yourself,” Rowen said.

Michaelanne Rowen, who was with Mark and other friends at the beach Thursday, said she isn’t offended by the vapor given off from vaporizers – noting she actually enjoyed the aroma of Mark’s grape vapor – but is offended by cigarette smoke because of the smell and negative health affects associated with cigarettes.

“Secondhand smoke from a cigarette is very different than secondhand smoke from this,” Michaelanne said, pointing to Mark’s vaporizer.

She also said she would simply relocate herself if she didn’t want to smell cigarette smoke while enjoying the beach, but agreed some people are inconsiderate and will either litter or place themselves next to nonsmokers.

“Someone like Mark is considerate that way. I don’t know if everyone is considerate that way,” she said. “And unfortunately that’s where the ordinances have to come, from because people aren’t considerate.”

Selectmen will hold a public hearing in the fall to discuss the proposed ordinance. Until then, it will remain legal for beachgoers to smoke at all public Wells beaches.

“We have not put a ban on tobacco products on beaches because of the beach issues that we have encountered, such as Moody Beach and the ownership issues and so forth,” Carter said.

Carter said enforcing the ordinance would prove difficult, noting that beach staff are typically only present for the 14-week period at the height of summer.

“In the implementation process, it’s going to be difficult, because we’re one of the remaining beaches where people can smoke at. Where it’s going to be difficult is in its enforcement,” Carter said. “The beaches are in use and in play literally for hundreds, if not thousands, of people year-round. To think enforcement is going to be there on November days when someone’s walking their dog will be difficult.”

Carter said the town will post signage and mail handouts to its residents, in addition to providing other methods of communication should the ordinance be passed in the fall.

“We hope to amend the beach ordinance and begin the planning process of implementation next year,” Carter said.

— Staff Writer Alan Bennett can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 329 or abennett@journaltribune.com.