Long Beach expands smoking ban to outdoor areas
Published on June 19, 2009 8:38 AM
Only after several months from easing the state indoor smoking ban that went into effect back in 1995 to exempt cigar bars, tobacco stores and hookah lounges, Tuesday, the Long Beach Municipal Council approved the amendment to expand smoking ban to outdoor public places, by including farmers markets and bus stops to the constantly increasing list of places where lighting up is forbidden.
The legislation, poised to come into legal force in autumn, would fine individuals caught on puffing within 20 feet of farmer markets territories and bus stops. The fines for ban violation would vary from $100 to $ 500. The California indoor smoking ban was implemented in 1995, since that time it has been amended several times to include the majority of workplaces, higher education facilities, schools, hospitals, restaurants, other eating establishments and most recently, parks and beaches.
According to the California State Legislation, smoking is as well banned in vehicles in the presence of minors.
Councilor Robert Garcia, the author and sponsor of the latest amendment said that including farmer markets in the list of public places where lighting up is prohibited has been rather reasonable because people who come to such markets to buy fresh and healthy food should not be exposed to hazardous secondhand smoke.
In conformity with the latter legislation, police officers could be allowed to sentence smoking ban violators to a fine of $100 for the first violation. Any subsequent violation made within a year from the first offense would cost careless smokers from $200 to $500. The identical fines have already been imposed on violators of the smoking laws from the moment of it’s entering into effect, admitted Bob Shannon the Long Beach City Attorney.
The attorney also said he is prepared to study the legislation paying special attention to potential conflicts which may arise while enforcing the ban, like smoking while crossing the street near the bus-stop or lighting up on the private property located in the closest proximity to the places where smoking is banned. After the thorough consideration, the bill is expected to be drafted.
Councilor Garcia declared that City Council does not pursuit the objective to collect additional money to the city budget by fining people for ban violations, but save people from diseases caused by the secondhand smoke.
The latest ordinance comes on the heels of a February amendment that eased the indoor smoking that counted almost 15 years to exempt such businesses as cigar bars and hookah lounges. The amended legislation currently permits smoking in those establishments that have ventilation and air conditioning system that keeps the air clear.
Long Beach went into history as one of the first American cities to approve comprehensive and wide-ranging indoor smoking ban in 1994, after the constituents voted in favor of legislation to prohibit smoking in the majority of enclosed public places.
Next year California Assembly approved the landmark statewide indoor smoking ban. In the next couple of years a great part of states followed California’s steps by adopting similar bans. Among such states are even traditional smoking states like Nevada and tobacco-growing North Carolina and Virginia.
Meantime, Long Beach authorities decided to ease the ban as the owners of cigar and hookah lounges reported dramatic declines and many were forced to get out of business. Therefore, lawmakers revived the business in the cash-starved city.
At the same time, Robert Garcia said that banning smoking at bus stops and farmer markets is a great victory for public health as it would help to prevent from secondhand smoke school kids, elderly people, low-income citizens and other people who use public transport and wait for the buses at one of 200 bus stops across the city.
