Calabasas' Second-Hand Smoke Ordinance Celebrates 11th Anniversary

From the City of Calabasas: It’s been eleven years since the City of Calabasas passed its Comprehensive Second Hand Smoke Control Ordinance prohibiting smoking in all public places in the City where people will be exposed to second-hand smoke. These places include indoor and outdoor businesses, hotels, multi-unit housing common areas, parks, restaurants and bars where people can be reasonably expected to congregate or meet. A companion ordinance requires at least 80% of apartment buildings in Calabasas to be permanently designated as non-smoking units. Business owners and employers are responsible for ensuring that patrons and employees comply with the requirements of the ordinance within their premises. Reaction to the Calabasas secondhand smoking laws has been extremely positive and in the eleven years since initial passage.

“I’m so proud to have played a role in enacting this vital ordinance,” said Calabasas Mayor Mary Sue Maurer, “one that has become an international model for municipalities to protect the public from the dangers of secondhand smoke.” The Los Angeles County Department of Health, the American Heart Association, the American Lung Association, Healthier Solutions, Inc., Smoke-Free Air for Everyone (SAFE) and the Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Los Angeles are among the many organizations that have expressed their support and commendation for the ordinance.

Exposure to second-hand smoke is the third leading cause of preventable death in the United States, killing over 52,000 non-smokers each year, including 3,000 deaths from lung cancer. Between 4,200 and 7,440 nonsmokers die of heart disease from second-hand smoke in California each year. Second-hand smoke exposure causes as many as 300,000 American children to suffer lower respiratory tract infections, such as pneumonia and bronchitis, exacerbates childhood asthma, and increases the risk of acute, chronic, middle-ear infection in children.

Calabasas residents and visitors are reminded that if they are at a business, retail store, or restaurant and observe someone smoking, they are to ask an employee to enforce the ordinance. If they are walking down the street or in another public place, they can ask the smoker to extinguish their cigarette, cigar or pipe. If they are uncomfortable doing so, or the person refuses the request, they are asked to please contact City code enforcement at: (818) 224-1600. The ordinance provides a variety of methods of enforcement ranging from warnings, to tickets, to lawsuits. The ordinance can be enforced by the City or by private parties who have given notice to the City. The City relies on warnings and tickets for most offenders but considers more serious penalties for willful or repeat offenders.

For more information, please visit: http://www.cityofcalabasas.com...

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