cigarettes

Eventually, the marine layer might be the only haze hanging over Orange County beaches.

County health and environmental officials are pursuing a plan to stamp out cigarettes on all seven miles of county sand.

Butts are already banned on all city beaches. A vote to make the county coastline smoke-free would limit flavor country to 11 miles of state beaches that constitute one-quarter of Orange County's shore.

The ban's prospects are uncertain. In December, the proposal came before the county Harbors, Beaches and Parks Commission. The seven-member panel flatly rejected the ban, calling it unenforceable.

Since then, new developments have persuaded officials to take another stab.

In January, the California Air Resources Board labeled secondhand smoke a toxic air contaminant. In June, the U.S. Surgeon General issued a report saying there are no safe levels of secondhand smoke.

And beach cleanups in cities with bans are turning up fewer cigarette butts than usual, evidence the restrictions are curbing litter, officials say.