Of all the things that can go wrong on a trip to the beach, the Oregon Parks and Recreation Commission is worried about smoking.

It’s considering a ban on smoking along the shore. The subject is supposed to come up at its meeting this month.

Just how far should society go in banning something that’s not good for you? Some say beach smoking should be the next beachhead.

The commission says it’s worried about the health of smokers, secondhand smoke and the litter of cigarette butts.

Is smoke the issue? We don’t think so, with all the wind. If it is, why aren’t fires banned everywhere on the beach?

Is littering the issue? We don’t think so.

Walk along the Oregon coast and you will see shards of glass, food wrappers, dog piles and you might not see a buried, smoldering fire. We haven’t heard a proposal to ban food. We don’t see vigorous enforcement.

There are many dangers, lesser and greater, along the shore.

The beach can be a dangerous place for people who can’t swim. We don’t tell those people what to do.

The beach can be a dangerous place for people who don’t wear sunscreen. We don’t tell those people what to do, at least not yet.

People eat unhealthy foods on the beach. We don’t order them to stop, at least not yet.

There would also be a loophole the size of the ocean in any beach smoking ban. Regulating the ocean is not part of the commission’s jurisdiction. Dedicated smokers could wade into the waves and light up. Is it somehow better to shove the smokers out among the swimmers and waders?

Smokers know it’s bad for them. Secondhand smoke can be bad. And we hope people who smoke stop. But smoking is still legal. And this would be a flawed ban.