TITLE
Recommendation to request City Attorney to prepare an ordinance within 45 days amending the Long Beach Municipal Code to prohibit smoking at Farmers' Markets and within 20 feet of all entrances and exits.
DISCUSSION
Cigarette smoking in public spaces is both a health danger and a nuisance. Second hand smoke is a known cause of cancer and heart disease, and can increase the symptoms of asthma. Secondhand smoke contains more than 50 cancer-causing chemical compounds, 11 of which are known to be carcinogens, and is responsible for 5-10 thousand deaths of non-smokers each year in Califomia.
Farmers' markets are often very crowded, and people who visit these markets, as well as vendors, have no way to avoid breathing in smoke when people are smoking cigarettes. Farmers' markets are popular with families, and children, who are particularly vulnerable to the effects of second-hand smoke, are often present.
Smoking at farmers' markets also often results in increased litter, as smokers leave their butts and filters on the ground.
Los Angeles, Oakland, Richmond, and Pasadena, among other cities, have created smoke-free farmers' markets. The farmers' market association in Long Beach has prohibited smoking at its events, and it is in the best interest of the city and its residents to support this measure with an official prohibition.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
COUNCILMEMBER ROBERT GARCIA
FIRST DISTRICT
COUNCILMEMBER SUJA LOWENTHAL
SECOND DISTRICT