California city bans smoking in duplexes and other multi-family homes

[The Straight Story]

California city bans smoking in duplexes and other multi-family homes

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. - A San Francisco suburb on Monday banned smoking in duplexes, condominiums and other multi-family homes, with city leaders saying they hoped to lead a wave of such regulations across California and ultimately the country.

The City Council in San Rafael, a community of 57,000 people about 15 miles north of San Francisco, voted unanimously for the ban, following a handful of other California municipalities that have outlawed smoking in buildings with as few as two units.

"We are happy to blaze a trail," Mayor Gary Phillips said before the vote. "We're most happy to be in the forefront of the issue because we think it will greatly benefit our residents and those visiting San Rafael, and we think it will set the tone for other cities as well."

Tobacco-control experts predicted that the tough smoking ordinance in San Rafael could touch off a larger movement in other states and cities.

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/16/14480203-california-city-bans-smoking-in-duplexes-and-other-multi-family-homes

The wealthy won't need to worry about this.

[snooper2]

1. sweeeeeet a smoking thread!

It's been months, way long overdue!!!!

[HappyMe]

2. lol!

You're right, it has been awhile.

[DefenseLawyer]

4. In other news, Michael Vick has a new dog. n/t

[The Straight Story]

5. Not a smoking a thread, a freedom thread. You own the place, you can make your own choices

People LOVE to make it about smoking, like saying abortion is about population control....when it is about a person's right to choose.

But carry on and miss the point about liberties, your body, your choice etc....but if they choose to ban abortion here in Ohio don't expect me to vote against the ban because what I have learned is that choice is something we want the government to control and people should be forced to live and act like our rulers tell us to.

[HiPointDem]

6. +1

[onehandle]

8. Freedom is not having to close my windows for my Asthmatic child...

...because of my chain-smoking neighbor.

[Fawke Em]

9. Do you close your windows from the passing cars?

They probably pollute more than the smoking guy.

Seriously, I'm not trying to pooh-pooh your child's condition, but there are a lot worse things in our environment than cigarette smoking.

[onehandle]

10. Not being produced three feet from my windows. nt

[Fawke Em]

14. OK. Where is he supposed to smoke?

[onehandle]

17. The 1950s.

[Fawke Em]

37. Dumb and insensitive.

Smoking is an addiction.

The only way to combat it is healthcare.

And it's extensive. Most smokers go from smoking to obesity.

Please, get off your high horse... um.. your dancing horse and realize that you're punishing the wrong people.

[Care Acutely]

44. Wow, accusing onehandle of being Ann Romney is so clever and smart.

It really makes your case, so well!

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.

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.

[joeybee12]

11. Actually, studies show cigarette smoke emits more than passing cars...

And cigarette smoking is the hardest addiction to beat.

[Fawke Em]

15. Link?

And, even if you're correct, what accounts for the high levels of cancer in areas near polluting manufacturing plants and homes near electrical towers?

I'm not saying that the poster's concerns aren't real and that her child does not suffer from asthma. What I'm saying is that cigarette smoke, alone, isn't as big of a deal as many other pollutants in our air. To focus on only one small, usually passing (not so much in this case), cause of irritants is absurd.

And, as you've pointed out, smoking is an addiction in most cases and these people should have SOMEWHERE safe to smoke.

[Thegonagle]

43. Well, cars _used_ to be stinky, headache inducing fume spewers.

But California was on the forefront of fixing that, too.

Now, I do see the point that it should be up to the landlord to decide, but I also see limiting the stinky things in multi-family housing. Smokers, go outside, please!

[joeybee12]

12. An addiction is not a choice...it's an addiction...nt

[Occulus]

13. I remember way back when this issue was first discussed on DU2

Nonsmokers told everyone that this would never ever happen.

Surprise, they lied.

Knock me over with a feather.

[abumbyanyothername]

42. Well what about the rights of other people living in the duplex?

These regulations pass because of second hand smoke.

[Care Acutely]

3. good

[Fawke Em]

16. Where are poor people supposed to smoke, then?

And don't tell me they should quit. If they're too poor to own their own home, chances are they don't have medical coverage that will cover that addiction.

Hell, most insurance won't cover it now, anyway, despite your plan.

[onehandle]

7. Good news. Bring it East. And the wealthy don't live in multi-family homes?

Not all of the wealthy live in Rmoney mansions.

[leftynyc]

23. You're kidding yourself

if you don't think this will hurt the middle class and poor the most. The wealthy can move anywhere - and certainly into a one family home. Just another slam against those with the least. As far as I'm concerned, it's just another reason to not live in nanny state California.

[onehandle]

26. It will help the middle class and the poor the most.

Big tobacco hurts them the most.

Health-wise and pocketbook-wise.

[leftynyc]

30. And you think this will make them quit?

Seriously? I can only imagine what cigarettes cost in CA since their around $14 a pack here in NYC - if that hasn't made them quit, neither will this.

[REP]

47. I pay about $7.90 per pack inc taxes for Sherman MCDs in CA

[NutmegYankee]

34. A single family home is not a mansion.

But most poor people don't even live in that.

[raccoon]

18. Wish my state would, but that will never happen. Come to think of it, it

would be hard to enforce.

[kestrel91316]

19. Yeah, great. Now the smokers will all be congregating OUTSIDE and everybody will have to walk

through thick clouds to get anywhere.

If multifamily construction didn't have gaping holes throughout (from plumbing etc) that allowed smoke to flow between units this wouldn't be an issue. I have a downstairs neighbor and every time they light up (only about 30 times a day) the smoke makes its way through the holes in the walls and I get a huge dose of secondhand. I have tried to plug what holes I can under the sink but it doesn't do much. Oh, and they love to hang out by the front porch when it's warm and I have my front door cracked, so the smoke flows right in again.

In a perfect world nobody would smoke tobacco at all. Heck, it wouldn't even exist. It gives me an instant migraine.

[onehandle]

22. The sprawling office complex I work in, has a smoking area way far away from doorways.

It's a 20 foot by 20 foot area, and is the only place they are allowed to smoke.

[kestrel91316]

32. And THAT is how it should be. Shut them in there and let them breathe all the smoke they want.

Just don't let them annoy others with it.

I smoke a tiny bit of cannabis, but that smoke has NEVER annoyed me the way tobacco always has. I don't know why. This goes way back to before I ever smoked it.

[Fawke Em]

38. Bigot.

[kestrel91316]

45. Yep. Tobacco killed several beloved members of my family.

You won't hear me praise it. Ever.

Oh, and namecalling is a TOS violation. Do use caution.

[Fawke Em]

40. So they're supposed to get sick by being outdoors and having

to hoof it in the weather?

Look, your freedom doesn't limit theirs.

[kestrel91316]

46. When their freedom puts me at risk for cancer, their

rights take a back seat.

[Blue_In_AK]

20. Marijuana, too?

[kentauros]

41. Or incense, sage sticks,

and essential oil diffusers? Some of that stuff makes me gag, though not the stuff I burn

[Bake]

21. Can you hold that thought while I get some popcorn?

There. Thanks.





Bake

[Dr. Strange]

25. Geddy Lee is popping some right now!

Right now!

[Bake]

29. That's OK, I'm in no rush

Sometimes I just crack myself up!!



Bake

[Dr. Strange]

33. Oh yeah.

I'm alerting on this.

[Bake]

36. I couldn't help but notice that you have a pic of Jim Morrison as your avatar

Were there no pics of Geddy available?

Oh, and alert away! I already alerted on your first post anyway. I'll happily be judged by a jury of my peers!



Bake

[Dr. Strange]

48. Yeah what's up with that?

Maybe I'll start a thread on that! I want a Geddy Lee avatar!

[SidDithers]

24. Good...nt

Sid

[hughee99]

27. What people do in the privacy of their own homes is no one's business but the city council's. n/t

[Nye Bevan]

28. This will save lives and make people healthier (nt)

[Fawke Em]

39. No it won't.

It will make someone kill someone.

IT'S AN ADDICTION!

[Whovian]

31. So, kid. Whatcha doing time for?

Well, I fired up some tobacco in my apartment and couldn't pay the fine.

What a great idea! We need to find other reasons to put more people behind bars for no real reason at all.

[Bigredhunk]

35. My 3rd Apartment In College...

...was awful. The guy who lived below us was a heavy smoker/heavy cougher. Our apartment smelled because of him. Our clothes smelled because of him. It was disgusting. I tried to talk to the landlord about it. She suggested I get a glade thing for the place.