Florida town says ban on drinking on the beach has stopped rowdy spring break parties
Spring Breakers celebrate St.Patricks Day on Fort Lauderdale Beach.
PANAMA CITY, Fla. - Spring breakers be forewarned: you still can't drink booze in March on the beach in a Florida town seeking to curb rowdy parties.
The Panama City News Herald reports that the month-long ban is paired with a 2 a.m. deadline to buy alcohol anywhere within city limits.
Panama City Police Chief Drew Whitman says zero tolerance policy originally enacted in 2015 has helped the city transition from a national spring break hot-spot to a more family-friendly destination all year long.
Whitman says enforcing the ban includes extra officers on the beach, some on all-terrain vehicles. Violators can be fined or even jailed.