Cigarette Litter

I have never smoked cigarettes nor do I care to. I find smoking a disgusting habit but what really bothers me more is how people pollute every day with their cigarettes. On my first visit to Chicago one of the very first things I noticed was how clean the streets were. The New York City streets and sidewalks are littered with cigarettes. People finish smoking and just throw the butts into the street. In fact, today I saw a man throw his cigarette down the sewer. The water in there is sent to a facility where it is cleaned and recycled- why on earth would you throw your cigarette in there. Cigarette filters are not biodegradable and need to be disposed of properly. While I commend Mayor Bloomberg for outlawing smoking in restaurants and bars and drastically reducing smoking rates in New York City, I wonder why there is not a crackdown on cigarette butt littering. I thought we were living in an age where most of us agree that litter is bad for the environment, why are cigarettes not considered litter for which people should be fined.
Check out this website to learn more about cigarette butt littering.