Beach City Extends Smoking Ban

Santa Monica catches up to other Southern California cities and prohibits smoking in additional public areas.

By Melissa Pazornik
The Southern California Post

Smoking is prohibited on the Third Street Promenade from Broadway to Wilshire. However, there are places on every cross street off the Promenade where smoking is allowed. Photo: Bayside District Corporation
All outdoor service areas, including restaurant patios, are now smoke-free because of the new law. Photo: SantaMonica.com

In a vote of 6-0, the Santa Monica City Council passed the law, which expands the outdoor locations that are smoke-free.

Smoking is now prohibited in the following areas: public parks, public beaches, Santa Monica Pier (except designated areas), outdoor dining areas, within 20 feet of any entrance, exit or open window to a public building, the Third Street Promenade, waiting areas, and Farmers Markets.

The city enforces the law with public awareness, education, and voluntary compliance. If a smoker refuses to stop smoking in a banned location, Santa Monica police officers may give him or her a fine of $250. Unlike the California indoor workplace law, the Santa Monica ban does not create a liability for businesses. Nevertheless, business owners are expected to request that their customers obey the law.

Reports say secondhand smoke is toxic
The ban was prompted by a series of reports issued at the beginning of this year. In its February 2006 issue, the California Air Resources Board identified environmental tobacco smoke, or second-hand smoke, as a "toxic air contaminant" that may cause and contribute to death or serious illness.

Also, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Toxicology Program and the International Agency for Research on Cancer recently designated second-hand smoke as a known human carcinogen, or cancer-causing agent.

In addition, the United States Surgeon General released a report stating that second-hand smoke contains a number of poisonous gases, chemicals, and metals including carbon monoxide (found in car exhaust), hydrogen cyanide (used in chemical weapons), arsenic (used in pesticides), ammonia (used in household cleaners), and cadmium (used to make batteries).

"Californians would not willingly fill their homes with motor exhaust, and they should feel the same way about tobacco smoke," said Joan Denton, Director of the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, who reviewed these conclusive reports.