[N8 v2.0]

I say good for them... smoking totally locos!

Calabasas no smoking law begins next month
Some exceptions are allowed
By Michael Picarella pic@theacorn.com

The new Calabasas secondhand smoke ordinance, which would prohibit smoking in all public areas of the city including parks, sidewalks and outdoor businesses, will take effect by the middle of March, city officials said.

Final passage of the ordinance is expected at the city council’s Feb. 15 meeting.

At its Feb. 1 meeting the council outlined certain exceptions to the law.

Officials from the Los Angeles County Department of Health, the American Heart Association, the American Lung Association, Healthier Solutions, Inc., Smoke-Free Air for Everyone and the Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Los Angeles expressed strong support for the new law. Of the 17 public speakers at the meeting, all but one supported the ordinance.

Last month, California became the first state to declare second-hand tobacco smoke a toxic air pollutant.

“. . .The California Air Resources Board, which is the agency which regulates air quality in California, has adopted a regulation to treat secondhand smoke as a toxic pollutant of the air, like the kinds of things that come out of petroleum smoke stacks and out of the tailpipes of cars,” said Michael Colantuono, Calabasas city attorney. “That decision is the first time a state regulatory agency of any state in the nation has reached that conclusion.

The city council agreed to allow smoking in the following areas:

•Private residential property, other than housing used as a childcare or health care facility when employees, children or patients are present

•Up to 20 percent of guest rooms in any hotel or motel

•Designated smoking “outposts” in shopping mall common areas that are at least five feet away from any doorway or opening that leads to an enclosed area.

“I think the reason that (city) staff recommended a relatively small number (of outposts) in this instance is because (the city is) going to be dealing with a variety of commercial property: some large, some small, some that are big rectangles, some that have odder shapes,” Colantuono said. “We wanted to have the ability to have at least one designated space on each commercial property that meets the requirements. The feeling was that if you don’t provide an outlet, then people would simply defy the ordinance.”

The city said it would relax the ban at times when non-smokers aren’t present in a public area.

Business owners will be responsible for ensuring that all employees and patrons comply with the new law.

Individual citizens can report offenders to the city and officials will determine how to handle fines on a case-by-case basis, said Tony Coroalles, Calabasas city manager.

To view the second-hand smoke ordinance, visit www.cityofcalabasas.com.

 

[lovebunny]

del mar has had that for years

 

[blt2ride]

I was out in Calabasas last night doing some shopping with the wife, and was wondering when the law was going to take effect. I stepped out of Barnes and Noble for a smoke, and remembered that the yuppies passed this law—I felt like I was in high school again. I had to walk to a little corner and keep my cigarette cupped in my hand.

Before everyone jumps to conclusion, I’m NOT an inconsiderate smoker. I always walk away from a store, and NEVER smoke around non-smokers. As a matter of fact, I don’t smoke indoors at all—including my own house…

 

[BillT]

I'm all for the indoor smoking bans in restaurants, bars, etc...but this just seems a bit excessive.

 

[sanjuro]

I think it excessive too, but I don't smoke, so I can't really say there is a problem for me.

 

[Ciaran]

Sounds like people have more freedome to smoke pot than they do cigarettes.

I am all for people quitting, and I think smoking is a nasty, dirty habit. But there is no way smoking should be outlawed. This ain't right.

 

[Nagaredama]

Makes sense to me. As a non-smoker why should I be subjected to carcinogens because I am outside, at a mall, or leaving a bar.

Sometimes I wonder how a smoker would feel if I sneezed on them. My mucus maybe gross but won't cause cancer.

The next step should be banning the obnoxiously polluting diesel trucks. Make them run on veggie oil like the shuttles at Mammoth.

 

[BSEVEER]

Makes sense to me. As a non-smoker why should I be subjected to carcinogens because I am outside, at a mall, or leaving a bar.

Sometimes I wonder how a smoker would feel if I sneezed on them. My mucus maybe gross but won't cause cancer.

The next step should be banning the obnoxiously polluting diesel trucks. Make them run on veggie oil like the shuttles at Mammoth.

Do you drive a car? If you do, I'll bet it doesn't run on veggie oil. why should anyone be subjected to those carcinogens?

 

[Nagaredama]

Do you drive a car? If you do, I'll bet it doesn't run on veggie oil. why should anyone be subjected to those carcinogens?

Good point but the scope isn't quite the same.

While I don’t drive a veggie burning car I make conscious decisions to walk as often as possible and do as many errands on my bike as practically possible. Would I like to be Dutch? Yes, they do 30% of all their trips via bicycle. Petrol costs $5.00 gallon so making that choice is an easy one for most there.

At this point society as a whole accepts the environmental and health trade-offs of driving cars. In fact people keep buying bigger less efficient vehicles. Collectively we all benefit and suffer from using cars as our primary means of transportation.

What benefit do I reap as a non-smoker? There are many negative health and environmental impacts of smoking that cost society billions of dollars every year from which the majority get no benefit from. As a non-smoker I pay higher medical insurance, taxes to cover the health care for indigent smokers, have to deal with the trash generated by cigarettes butts, among other things.

The ratio of non-smokersmokers is far higher to that of non-drivers:drivers. The trade off is an easy one to deal with. It is a simple cost benefit analysis.

 

[BSEVEER]

Good point but the scope isn't quite the same.

While I don’t drive a veggie burning car I make conscious decisions to walk as often as possible and do as many errands on my bike as practically possible. Would I like to be Dutch? Yes, they do 30% of all their trips via bicycle. Petrol costs $5.00 gallon so making that choice is an easy one for most there.

At this point society as a whole accepts the environmental and health trade-offs of driving cars. In fact people keep buying bigger less efficient vehicles. Collectively we all benefit and suffer from using cars as our primary means of transportation.

What benefit do I reap as a non-smoker? There are many negative health and environmental impacts of smoking that cost society billions of dollars every year from which the majority get no benefit from. As a non-smoker I pay higher medical insurance, taxes to cover the health care for indigent smokers, have to deal with the trash generated by cigarettes butts, among other things.

The ratio of non-smokersmokers is far higher to that of non-drivers:drivers. The trade off is an easy one to deal with. It is a simple cost benefit analysis.

We pay more for medical insurance because people eat cheeseburgers every day and higher taxes to clean up the trash from those burgers too. Does that mean we should ban cheeseburger eating? We already have littering laws that don't work very well. I am a non-smoker as well. I did smoke for a long time but I quit about 4 years ago.

 

[wingman24]

I think it excessive too, but I don't smoke, so I can't really say there is a problem for me.

I think this takes it, the funniest thing I've ever seen on RM, bar none.

******note. as of today 2-18-06 sanjuro's avitar is a little smoking kid, if at any time he changes it, this post is null and void********

 

[sanjuro]

I think this takes it, the funniest thing I've ever seen on RM, bar none.

******note. as of today 2-18-06 sanjuro's avitar is a little smoking kid, if at any time he changes it, this post is null and void********

I chose that avatar because I support the right of 10 year olds to choose to smoke. Listening to your parents and doctors are wrong, so you smoke if you want to!

To my 10 year old reading public: Joe Camel says smoke them if you got them!

 

[Nagaredama]

We pay more for medical insurance because people eat cheeseburgers every day and higher taxes to clean up the trash from those burgers too. Does that mean we should ban cheeseburger eating? We already have littering laws that don't work very well. I am a non-smoker as well. I did smoke for a long time but I quit about 4 years ago.

People are buying cheeseburgers on their own free will. Cigarette company’s purposely make their products addictive so they really aren't equal in the case of this argument.

 

[BSEVEER]

People are buying cheeseburgers on their own free will. Cigarette company’s purposely make their products addictive so they really aren't equal in the case of this argument.

Isn't nicotine the addictive component in tobacco? Are you saying they are adding more nicotine? I don't think there is anyone that doesn't know smoking tobacco can be addictive. People who buy and smoke cigarettes do so on their own free will, nobody is forcing them to start smoking or continue smoking.

 

[DirtyDog]

We pay more for medical insurance because people eat cheeseburgers every day and higher taxes to clean up the trash from those burgers too. Does that mean we should ban cheeseburger eating? We already have littering laws that don't work very well. I am a non-smoker as well. I did smoke for a long time but I quit about 4 years ago.

You can eat a cheeseburger without affecting the person next to you. Your analogies need some work.

 

[skatetokil]

this is all more social control in the guise of public safety. there is no demonstrable health effect of being around people who are smoking. all the studies about second hand smoke have had serious methodological problems. to me, stuff like this just represents another area of my life where some Fu%&ing town council or state legislature or congress is trying to assert its dominance. you cant even drink a goddamn beer on the street in this country. that aint freedom if you ask me. go to communist cuba and you'll see people hanging out on the street talking and partying. we are forced to sit in front of the tv in our cookie cutter houses like criminals.

 

[MudGrrl]

there is no demonstrable health effect of being around people who are smoking. all the studies about second hand smoke have had serious methodological problems. .

uh, care to back that up with some fact?

to me, stuff like this just represents another area of my life where some Fu%&ing town council or state legislature or congress is trying to assert its dominance. you cant even drink a goddamn beer on the street in this country. that aint freedom if you ask me. go to communist cuba and you'll see people hanging out on the street talking and partying. we are forced to sit in front of the tv in our cookie cutter houses like criminals.

 

[stgil888]

I think that an outdoor smoking ban is a good idea. Even if you do not consider the health risks of smoking, it is good for businesses. Here's why: If you're a restaurant or shop that caters to families and non-smokers, you don't want your potential customers to be scared off by people smoking outside your bar. As well, people smoking look intimidating and smell bad. You don't want to buy a slick sport coat and walk outside only to have it engulfed in a cloud of tobacco smoke.

 

[bjanga]

While they are at it they should crack down some on vehicle emissions. Those are probably worse for you than scary looking dudes who smell bad.

 

[ito]

People are buying cheeseburgers on their own free will. Cigarette company’s purposely make their products addictive so they really aren't equal in the case of this argument.

You ever had a double double animal style? Those things ARE addictive!

I say it is overly harsh. Considering the air quality in Southern California is as bad as it is I can't believe smoking to be that big of a deal. Ban it indoors, but outside it really doesn't make sense. We already have enough crap in the air, let the public enjoy their death sticks and the condoning stares of those who hate them.

The Ito

 

[laura]

You can eat a cheeseburger without affecting the person next to you. Your analogies need some work.

ugg, depends on the cheeseburger. and the person eating it.

 

[laura]

you cant even drink a goddamn beer on the street in this country. that aint freedom if you ask me. go to communist cuba and you'll see people hanging out on the street talking and partying. we are forced to sit in front of the tv in our cookie cutter houses like criminals.

Been to New Orleans? Smelled the stench that drinking in the street causes. How bout memphis, you can drink in the streets here, just make sure it isn't glass. There are all kinds of people hanging out in the street talking and partying around here, and then later in the night somebody runs off at the mouth and gets shot. or more than likely, the kid sitting on the steps next door gets shot because dude with gun was too drunk to aim. What I particularly love about being able to drink in the street is counting the number of people who walk by with piss running down their leg.

Some laws aren't a terrible thing, get a back yard and ditch the TV.

 

[SilentJ]

I believe that there are certain areas in this city where smoking is banned, but the bylaws are pretty wack. You can smoke inside a bar, however you can NOT smoke on the patio outside. Smoking just outside the patio on the sidewalk is permitted.

 

[ktmsx]

It took me a LONG time to finally quit ....I never smoked in my house or in my vehicle with kids in it...if you don;t think second hand smoke is going to hurt others you are oblivious to rational thinking.....My last B-day turned into my wife getting real pissed at me because of the remarks I made to a smoker in front of the resteraunt....my wife beeing there saved this guy from picking up his teeth....yeah it does seem a little excessive but we can all thank the selfish morons for that......

 

[skatetokil]

I think that an outdoor smoking ban is a good idea. Even if you do not consider the health risks of smoking, it is good for businesses. Here's why: If you're a restaurant or shop that caters to families and non-smokers, you don't want your potential customers to be scared off by people smoking outside your bar. As well, people smoking look intimidating and smell bad. You don't want to buy a slick sport coat and walk outside only to have it engulfed in a cloud of tobacco smoke.

Nobody said a restaurant couldn't ban smoking if it thought it could make more money.

 

[skatetokil]

Been to New Orleans? Smelled the stench that drinking in the street causes. How bout memphis, you can drink in the streets here, just make sure it isn't glass. There are all kinds of people hanging out in the street talking and partying around here, and then later in the night somebody runs off at the mouth and gets shot. or more than likely, the kid sitting on the steps next door gets shot because dude with gun was too drunk to aim. What I particularly love about being able to drink in the street is counting the number of people who walk by with piss running down their leg.

Some laws aren't a terrible thing, get a back yard and ditch the TV.

Buy a piece and stop whining.

Also, yards cost money. My street is already there and it looks lonely.

Would you rather walk around your block at night and see it totally empty or full of your neighbors socializing? Would you feel more safe or less safe? I'm not talking about turning the whole ****ing country into bourbon street, I'm talking about letting people reoccupy the public spaces that once belonged to them.

You can have your safe little nook with no second hand smoke or obnoxious drunks or stray bullets as long as you dont **** with what I'm trying to do. Why not leave the rest of us alone? I already have a mom, I don't need you or the state to by my nanny.

 

[.:Jeenyus:.]

Buy a piece and stop whining.

Also, yards cost money. My street is already there and it looks lonely.

Would you rather walk around your block at night and see it totally empty or full of your neighbors socializing? Would you feel more safe or less safe? I'm not talking about turning the whole ****ing country into bourbon street, I'm talking about letting people reoccupy the public spaces that once belonged to them.

You can have your safe little nook with no second hand smoke or obnoxious drunks or stray bullets as long as you dont **** with what I'm trying to do. Why not leave the rest of us alone? I already have a mom, I don't need you or the state to by my nanny.

With my neighbors, I'm glad it's empty.

 

[bjanga]

I don't need you or the state to by my nanny.

Aye, down with state paternalism.

 

[laura]

Buy a piece and stop whining.

Also, yards cost money. My street is already there and it looks lonely.

Would you rather walk around your block at night and see it totally empty or full of your neighbors socializing? Would you feel more safe or less safe? I'm not talking about turning the whole ****ing country into bourbon street, I'm talking about letting people reoccupy the public spaces that once belonged to them.

You can have your safe little nook with no second hand smoke or obnoxious drunks or stray bullets as long as you dont **** with what I'm trying to do. Why not leave the rest of us alone? I already have a mom, I don't need you or the state to by my nanny.

you missed my point. My point was, there are reasons the law is there. in places where the laws aren't in place, it shows.

You are too angry to talk to.