G ov. Phil Murphy signed a bill that bans smoking at all beaches and parks and on boardwalks beginning on Jan. 16.
.The law will charge violators a $250 fine for the first offense, $500 for the second offense and $1,000 for each subsequent offense, according to the legislation.
The smoking ban will not include beach parking lots and it would allow municipalities to designate up to 15 percent of a beach for permitted smoking, according to the legislation.
"This is tremendous day," Murphy said as he declared it an effort to "get the butts off the beach."
"We're not just taking action on a critical health issue in our state, but also a critical environmental issue. Murphy said, noting a sweep last year found 29,000 cigarette butts along New Jersey beaches.