Murrieta smoking ban passes
By: JOSE CARVAJAL - Staff Writer | ∞
MURRIETA -- Lighting up in Murrieta just got a little tougher.
Aiming to limit the effects of secondhand smoke in public places around town, the City Council on Tuesday unanimously adopted a new ordinance that bans smoking in restaurants' outdoor dining areas, children's play areas and schools.
The ordinance also bans smoking within 15 feet of the "main entrance" of a wide range of businesses.
Before voting on the item, council members provided few comments but heard from the city's police chief, who recommended the smoking ban, and a resident who raised concerns about several of the ordinance's provisions.
Resident Steve Porter said he thought that most of what he read in the ordinance was positive because it provided protection from secondhand smoke to those who can't protect themselves, such as children and the elderly.
But he also said that the ordinance was "overly broad" and went too far.
He pointed to barring smoking in outdoor dining areas at restaurants as an example of that.
"I think we should leave it up to (the businesses)," Porter said.
But police Chief Mark Wright said that "there's no teeth" in leaving it up to the restaurants and that the intent of the ordinance is to "prevent people from having smoke forced upon them."
Porter also raised concerns that the ordinance wouldn't allow establishments such as cigar lounges. Porter said he knew of some people interested in opening such a lounge and the city could be losing out on having one of those in town.
"I think it allows an element of class," he said.
To that, Wright said those wouldn't be allowed unless they were cigar cooperatives that didn't have any employees.
Along with barring smoking in outdoor eating areas, schools and outdoor children's areas, the ordinance bans it in other public areas. They include:
Murrieta's ban wouldn't take effect immediately, as the regulation still requires a second approval by the City Council.
The ban does not completely mirror prohibitions enacted in other California cities.
It does not bar smoking throughout public parks, something that was done in Solana Beach, for which a smoking ban applies to all public beaches and parks. A similar ban has been in force in Encinitas since 2004 and a new ban in San Diego prohibiting smoking at beaches and other public parks took effect last month. The San Diego County Board of Supervisors is scheduled today to vote on an ordinance that would ban smoking in county parks and trails.
According to an Associated Press tally in July, 2,300 cities across the nation have passed such bans. Public officials in those cities have cited a range of rationales, including the blight caused by discarded butts and the health risks of secondhand smoke.
-- Contact staff writer Jose Carvajal at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2624, or jcarvajal@californian.com.
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Hold Your Breath wrote on Sep 20, 2006 4:47 AM:What is going on! I agree with certain aspects of this ordinace. However, to bar a cigar lounge if it has employees is ridiculous. If you don't like or want to breath second hand smoke you need not apply. The same goes for smoking in outdoor dining areas at restaurants. If you do not wish to breath second hand smoke then sit your butt inside or stay at home and save both your lungs and money all at the same time. I am not a smoker but this is getting out of hand. What are we going to ban next?
Ashley wrote on Sep 20, 2006 5:53 AM:Finally! We can all breathe fresh air. Now, who will enforce the ban??
Robin wrote on Sep 20, 2006 7:33 AM:Good for Murrieta. Taking the high road and protecting the public from people that are addicted to cigarettes.
ABC123 wrote on Sep 20, 2006 7:37 AM:I hate cigerate smoke so it sounds good to me, But it must suck if you do smoke. Looks like its time to quit, if you can. Good luck on getting this law enforced.
James wrote on Sep 20, 2006 7:52 AM:Way to go Murrieta. You morons have enacted an ordinace against something that there is no empirical eveidence that shows harm to anyone. Another example of the ignorance of the average californian
Nick wrote on Sep 20, 2006 8:48 AM:Wow, Murietta is so special. They can't even enforce the littering laws on the books. So I guess it will be people like Ashley calling the police every time they see a smoker. At least she doesn't tailgate or speed while shes driving though, that would be breaking the law too.
Amie wrote on Sep 20, 2006 9:28 AM:Wahoooo!!!! Way to go Murrieta! Let's just hope Temecula does the same! Smoking is no longer the "thing to do". Live longer and breathe better Southwest county!!!!
What the? wrote on Sep 20, 2006 10:43 AM:Looks like Murrieta doesn't need "smoker" money, you guys must be doing well. As for you other "smoke haters", you sound like you're still in school, or have never been out of Murrieta. Let's ban alcohol! There's more deaths cased by DRINKING AND DRIVING than there is from secondhand smoke! Where do you stop?! And by the way, I don't smoke.
Todd wrote on Sep 20, 2006 12:33 PM:The issue is having secondhand smoke forced upon someone regardless of any health issues. Noone should have to exit a building and walk through a cloud of smoke or sit in a restaurant (inside or out)and have their dinner ruined by the stench of smoke. This is not alot to expect. This is no different than if one we subjected to having to wade through a puddle of brown viscous spit outside of a building left by a tobacco chewer.
Boston Tea Party wrote on Sep 20, 2006 2:20 PM:This ordinance smacks of the kind of government tyranny that our Founding Fathers fought against. Murrieta should have to forfeit their portion of the state revenues raised from tobacco taxes. Murrieta, you can't eat your cake AND have it at the same time. Also, does this law apply to marijuana smoke too? Or are you going to give the dope smoking hippies a pass because they are politically correct while tobacco is portrayed by some health zealots as sort of "demon weed?" Shame on Murrieta!
Winston Churchill said: wrote on Sep 20, 2006 2:54 PM:"If you have ten thousand regulations you destroy all respect for the law." Take notice Murrieta...we are being over regulated by busybody bureaucrats and we do NOT appreciate it!
Jake wrote on Sep 20, 2006 5:09 PM:So, at what point before this law takes effect does Murrieta stop collecting any tax revenue, locally or from the state, that is based on the tobacco tax? I mean, that would only seem to be consistent, right? If you restrict the use of a legal product in such a way as to try to eradicate it's use, it would seem illegitimate at best to collect tax revenues from that item....
Mike wrote on Sep 20, 2006 8:12 PM:You smokers think you have a right to smoke around others. I say horse crap. How rude you idiots are to force a non smoker like me to breathe your noxious fumes. Sit your butts at home and poison your own lungs. Why should we have to breathe the stench from you walking ashtrays. As far as Im concerned you smokers should all be arrested and charged with assault!!
Oh Brother!!!!! wrote on Sep 20, 2006 9:48 PM:I don't even smoke and am offended that EVERYONE is not afforded the opportunity of location CHOICE to smoke or not to smoke. Come on Murrieta...what's wrong with sitting on a restaurant patio and having a cigarette? I would rather see you close down all the bars that sell alcohol so we don't have drivers on the road killing people. Murrieta has no problem having businesses sell cigarettes and collect tax money....but let's punish those that purchase????? Are you NUTS? Maybe someone needs to go to the State and have your cigaretee tax money REVOKED.
SINTHRES wrote on Mar 7, 2007 8:05 AM:why is it all right to tell one group of people that they can not smoke out side when the other group of people can walk away from the smoke ? ok so now we seem to think it is personal saftey issue that smokeing causes canser so now we have a groupl oof people looking out after the other group of people who like to smoke ok fine but CNN a few weeks a said 20 % of women who have lung cancer never somoked and what about all the people who have been smokeing for all the lives and did not get lung cancer ? to me that says it smoke does not cause it becasue if it did evey one who smokes will be getting sick from it now i am not saying it is healthy thing to do i am just saying if every does not get it cancer from it then it must not be causeing it ? now i think the artical stated that they wanted to protect kids and elderly from secend hand smoke ok hmm what about tail pipes of cars shall we ban cars from going near senior centers and schools i mean shoot the emisions from a car is greater then any smoker can produce what about this lovely smog we breath every day we can not get away from that hmm maybe that is causeing people to get lung cancer to or hey what about the flu shall we make a ordenince that state if you have the flu or some other kind of sickness that you must quenteen your self untell it is gone i mean people seem to dies really quick with that bird flu and sars but i have not seen any one or heard of any droping dead from walking by a smoker but i guess if it makes you feel safer to ban smokers from enjoy a cig or a cigar in your sight by god take there rights of being a citizen of the USA away for your rights when it is so easy to avoid the smoker but not the emissions and the flu and smog i guess so have at and hope the dont make a body oder ordence for the people who dont shower or the ugly people we should just lock them up for being bad on the eyes or the loud people for disturping the peace so i guess we can make ordence for any thing if the citys /state /gov wants any more i just hopep it dont bankrupt the city and/state /gov/ and fill up what seems to be a aready over poupulate prison system so for the gramer i have learning disablitys so forive me
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