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Camarillo weighs smoking ban for outdoor eating areas
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More from Other NewsThe city of Camarillo is looking into the possibility of prohibiting smoking in restaurants' outdoor dining areas, officials said.
Responding to a resident's request, the city has launched a preliminary study into the matter, City Manager Jerry Bankston said Thursday.
"Nothing is on the City Council agenda yet, but this is worthy of looking into. I've asked staff to do some research and I've requested our city attorney to look into current state law and how it would apply," Bankston said. "We're in a fact-finding mode," he added.
Once the city's research is complete, an assessment will be made on what steps would be taken to proceed further, he said. He estimated a preliminary report would be ready late this summer or early fall.
Camarillo would not be the first city in California to have an outdoor non-smoking ordinance. Last year, the Calabasas City Council voted unanimously to pass the most comprehensive secondhand smoke control ordinance in the United States.
"Calabasas has banned smoking in just about every place people gather outdoors," said Jack Nicholl, a state board member for the American Lung Association of California.
"I don't know that we would want to go down the same road as Calabasas, but we want to look deeper into the issue," said Bankston.
The cities of Santa Monica and Burbank also have non-smoking outdoor ordinances. Beginning Oct. 1 of this year, outdoor diners in Beverly Hills will not be able to light up their cigarettes, either.
"If Camarillo takes a step in this direction, it will be great for the residents of Ventura County," said Nicholl, a county resident.
He said research has established a link between cancer and secondhand smoke — the smoke that individuals inhale from other people's cigarettes.
"As the surgeon general has stated, there is no safe level to secondhand smoke," said Nicholl.
May Lee Berry, the American Cancer Society's health promotion director for Ventura County, said she was thrilled that Camarillo is considering making outdoor eating places smoke-free.
"We will work city by city to develop ordinances that will protect the public from secondhand smoke," she said. "Secondhand smoke is harmful to everyone at outside dining areas, including the employees."
Posted by bjs12258 on July 6, 2007 at 1:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Are you kidding? This is the stupidest thing I've ever heard. Do you really think that inhaling one wisp of my cigarette smoke is going to kill you? Do you realize how dumb this sounds? Have you ever stood outside of LAX and breathed? Can someone please provide me with proof of ONE person who has died from second-hand smoke. Just one. Instead of the usual "it is estimated that 5 gazillion people will die from secondhand smoke this year"...I want to know of just ONE. I'm so glad we moved out of California.
Posted by drshocker on July 9, 2007 at 2:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree what a great way to destroy American's rights and the right of the business owners to decide what is good for their business......and Californians wonder why the rest of the country describes us as a nanny state but don't worry we will soon enough make a law that says you can't have salt on your food to protect your health
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