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KURE BEACH — Kure Beach officials are trying to plan their next course of action after discovering they do not have the authority to impose a smoking ban on the beach front.

Mayor Dean Lambeth said the city attorney informed the Council the beach is owned by the state so they cannot pass a ban without state approval. The beach already has an ordinance banning littering, which includes cigarette butts.

However, the mayor said figuring out how to ban smoking will still take time.

"We have to wait for a local bill to be introduced, if we push it that far. Then, it would outlaw smoking on the beach," said Lambeth.

Kure Beach does have authority to ban alcohol. Lambeth said it is unclear why certain bans were allowed, while a smoking ban is not. News 14 Carolina reached out to the city attorney for comment, but he was unavailable to speak with us.