Tobacco Documents Online

101 Pan iI/SundsY. February 10. 190S B,t Los a"9°iies Tt..s - orang, County edi-tioa ,I r n Cmmen4ary ~ Comty 11 Editoris/s Good Idea I.,fies Smoke Screen people and have no established non-smoking areass The law also will rcqtiire all eamployerr to adopt written smoking policies 'giring employees the right to designatis work areas that would bee off-limits to smoking. The emphaaia of'the new ordinance ia clear in the section that gives non-smokers precedence in disputes over a no-sznokutg policy. We are glkd to aee c[ties such as Ugtnsa Beach move decisively and' override ob}eetiona 1t+omm tobacco interests that attempt to minimize the medicali facts and the hazards to, non-smokers forced to breathe secondhand amoke:. According to tF e American L.tusg Aaen., u many as 34 million Americana are sensitive to tobacco, smoke and studies have shown that non-smokers are indeed espo.ed tm health hazards because of secondhand smoke:. That makes no-smoking ordinances an is;ue of public health that all communities should be addressing. The argument from opponents that such regulations are an unnecessary goverrunent intrusion, into people's rights is nothuog, but a smoke screen: It will take only one more official vote of t1ie. i.agtasa Beach, City Cbuncil to give the city thee strnctest no-smoking law in Orange County. Although final passage appears to be a formality in view of the recent 4-1 vote. we urge enacxment in Lsguna Beach, and the passage of similsr no.amoking regulations elsewhere throughout c)range (County: Laguna Beach isn't the first Orange County community to attempt to control smoking in public places. Westtnirtater, prohibits smoking in city-owned buildings and the county has an ordinance. which willi be reviewed again this week: that designates smoking and non-smoking areas in county-owned buildings and some other public health facilities in the unincorporated!area. What makes Lagµna Beaeh'3 ordinance different is that it ii the first community in the county to attempt to regulate smoking citywide. More cities should tzlte that approach. Under Laguna Beach's prbpois;edl regulations. Rnoking would be banned in public meeting rooces: theaters. auditorituas. service lines, eleva- tors and in restaurants that seat 40 or more Copyright 19 8'S , Los Angeles Times. Reprinted by permissioni. 0-1 1