A smoker says he is in favor of Gov. Chris Christie's recent decision to ban smoking at at state-owned parks and beaches.
AVON BY THE SEA -- Tim Horning is a smoker and has watched the debate over lighting up on beaches.
Now that the issue has come to a head, he agrees smoking shouldn't be allowed at state parks and beaches.
Gov. Chris Christie's on Friday agreed to prohibit smoking at state-owned parks and beaches, a measure for which has been advocated for years.
Christie vetoed a similar bill two years ago. However, his recent decision was a compromise -- agreeing to the ban while not going as far to sign a law on a more expansive ban that would include county and local recreational sites.
"I think it's the right thing to do," said Horning, of Wall, who was basking in the sun while sitting on a wooden fence near the Ocean Avenue Bridge Saturday afternoon.
Even when smoking was permitted in bars and restaurants in New Jersey years ago, Horning said he still wouldn't light up in certain public places out of respect for non-smokers. He said he always understood how intolerable it could be for non-smokers.
"It's just the wrong thing to do, and I understand that," he said.
Though, with a chuckle, he added, "But I think there are a lot more (pressing) issues going on it the world right now."
Currently, roughly 12 of New Jersey's 21 counties -- making up about 300 municipalities -- have smoking bans at their parks and beaches.
Rich McGurk, of Brick, who was leaving the Freedom Fest State Fair in Allentown Saturday afternoon, is not a smoker. Though he said he didn't' really care all that much either way, he said, in general, he feels "people should have the right to do what they want to do."
He said he sees the point if there were a potential risk of fire at a particular open space. But otherwise, he said, he believes people should be able to light up in public if they so choose.
Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerMKent. Find the Find NJ.com on Facebook.