L.A. To Ban Outdoor Smoking Altogether

Well, if having the outdoor smoking ban extended to public parks and golf courses wasn’t enough, Los Angeles City Council is looking to further extend the ban to all outdoor places. The only respite would be for bars or clubs where patrons must be over 18 to get in. Read the story for yourselves and sound off.

Los Angeles – A proposal to ban smoking in outdoor dining areas in Los Angeles was approved by a City Council committee today.

However, Councilman Tom LaBonge, the chairman and only member of the Arts, Parks, Health and Aging Committee present, said he would visit several establishments which would be affected by the smoking ban before the full council considers the proposal.

“Before this goes forward, I’m going to be taking a field trip with the fire inspector, the building inspector, the city attorney, those for and against smoking in outdoor dining areas, to make sure there’s a practical application to this,” LaBonge said. “I want to make sure it works.”

The proposal would prohibit smoking in outdoor dining areas, and within a 10-foot radius of those areas, as well as the area within a 30-foot radius of outdoor food courts, food kiosks, food carts and mobile food trucks.

However, an exception is provided for outdoor areas attached to bars and nightclubs that require customers to be 18 years old or older.

“I think it’s important that we have a practical way to balance out the needs of those people who enjoy smoking and those people who enjoy eating without the smell of smoke,” LaBonge said.

Esther Schiller, executive director of Smoke Free Air for Everyone, testified that the proposal “would help the waiters who won’t be forced to breathe tobacco smoke in order to make a living,” and allow those with chronic illnesses like asthma, cancer or heart disease to be able to dine outdoors.

Victor Franco of Cigar Rights of America, an organization of cigar manufacturers and distributors, claimed the proposal is still too vague.

Smoking is banned in Los Angeles city parks. Beverly Hills and Pasadena has banned smoking in outdoor dining areas. Santa Monica bans smoking on beaches, in public parks, and near public buildings.

http://www.myfoxla.com/dpp/news/local/LA_Ban_Smoking_in_Outdoor_Areas_20090618

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1. 

   Tommy Zman says:

   July 7, 2009 at 7:10 am

   Would you please tell me WTF kind of Nazi state do we live in where you can’t smoke in the outdoors? Big Brother is grotesque and scary as all hell, my friends.
2. 

   ally says:

   September 15, 2009 at 5:34 pm

   My latest idea is to carry around a bag of dog doo with me, and put it on the seat next to me at the local cafe where i like to get coffee in the morning… what? you don’t like the smell? well, sorry, but it’s my right to carry around a smelly bag of dog doo!! what? you can’t enjoy your food with the smell of dog doo in your nostrils? ok fine, then you put out your cigarette so i can enjoy my breakfast, and i’ll leave my bag of dog doo at home!

   since idiot smokers can’t figure out on their own that it’s rude to impose their smelly habit on others, then i guess the government should step in…