I always thought the cigarette ban at the beach was about butts, not second-hand smoke. Most smokers I have seen don't use a trash can, maybe even for a legit reason like avoiding a trash fire.
There used to be ashtray receptacles outside of every business, then they quietly started disappearing. I always love the ones outside of gas stations. In the 90s I worked at McDonald's and the concrete ashtray outside the entrance was so big and sturdy that we would use it as a seat during smoke breaks. If you shimmied it into the right spot you could lean your back against the wall and it made a suitable enough chair. I would greatly disapprove if someone threw down a butt in front of me, but fire hazards aside how bad are they really for the environment anyway? It's just some cotton resinated with trace levels of toxins and carcinogens. Do dolphins eat them or something?
