New Initiative Inviting Residents And Visitors To Enjoy East Sussex By The Sea Smoke Free

TWO EAST Sussex beaches have been designated voluntary smoke free spaces as smokers are urged to quit the habit on No Smoking Day.

As the national annual awareness day returns this month, the county council is working in partnership with Rother District Council to launch the first smoke free beaches in England.

From No Smoking Day on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, Bexhill beach from the De La Warr pavilion to the Coronation Bandstand on East Parade and all of Camber Sands beach will be designated smoke free.

Visitors are being asked to support the voluntary initiative by choosing not to smoke on these beaches, helping to protect children and young people as well as the environment from the harmful effects of smoking.   

Rob Tolfree, Acting Director of East Sussex Public Health, said:

“Second-hand smoke is just as toxic outdoors as it is indoors.

“Creating two smoke free beaches in East Sussex will help protect our children and young people from the effects of smoking by encouraging people to think twice before smoking on the beach.”

To launch the scheme, local volunteers took part in a beach clean in partnership with the Sussex Wildlife Trust last month, which saw rubbish including fishing poles, plastic fishing line, glass bottles and plastic bottle tops collected from Bexhill beach.

Cigarette butts are one of the most littered items globally and take years to biodegrade. They leak chemicals including nicotine, ethyl phenol and heavy metals into the sea as they breakdown, damaging delicate marine ecosystems.

East Sussex has two Marine Conservation Zones which protect rare underwater chalk reefs and vulnerable blue mussel beds, as well as diverse marine life including Short-Snouted Seahorses and Cuckoo Wrasse, plus Ross Coral, sponges, sea squirts, and anemones.

Cllr Doug Oliver, leader of Rother District Council, said:

“The district council welcomes this extremely positive initiative to establish the first voluntary smoke free beaches in England.

“As well as protecting people from second hand smoke, creating smoke free beaches will also help protect our sea life and coastlines from the harm caused by cigarette and tobacco litter that is washed into the sea.

“Although the scheme is currently only in place on Camber Sands and part of Bexhill beach, we hope that through this initiative people will choose not to smoke when they are visiting any of our beaches in Rother.”

This year’s National No Smoking Day campaign is encouraging smokers to use the day to make a quit attempt, with the message ‘Take back your life this No Smoking Day’.

There are over 57,000 smokers in East Sussex. Support to stop smoking is available across the county through the One You programme with free quit aids, such as NRT and e-cigarettes, as well as 1:1 in person or telephone support available.

Stopping smoking has immediate and lasting benefits to health. After just eight hours harmful carbon monoxide levels in the blood will have reduced by half. After 48 hours a smoker’s sense of taste and smell will improve. After two to 12 weeks circulation will have improved, and after three to nine months lung function increases by up to 10 per cent.

Mr Tolfree continued:

“Quitting smoking is the best thing you can do for your health, and there’s no need to go it alone.

“It’s much easier to stop smoking when you get the right support. No Smoking Day is the ideal time to get the help required so you can kick the habit, and with the free support offered by One You East Sussex you are more likely to quit for good.”

To find out more about the help available to stop smoking, visit https://oneyoueastsussex.org.uk/programmes/stop-smoking/.