Manhattan Beach City Council passes citywide public smoking ban
Smokers in Manhattan Beach, take note: Soon, it will be considered illegal to light up in public. Same goes for e-cigarette users. On Tuesday night, the Manhattan Beach City Council voted unanimously to adopt a citywide public smoking ban that includes e-cigarettes — increasingly popular battery-operated devices that release nicotine in a vapor. Under the new ordinance, which aims to reduce secondhand smoke and cigarette litter, smokers and e-cigarette users can only light up legally on private property, in moving cars or inside a smoking-approved hotel room. There is no designated smoking area in the city. “This is a very clear example to me of how policy can affect a community’s health and how it can help change behavior,” Mayor Amy Howorth said. “…It is our job to watch out for the health of our community.” Currently, smoking in Manhattan Beach is prohibited on the beach, The Strand, Veterans Parkway as well as in parks and certain places of public employment, such as bars and restaurants. Under state law, smoking is also prohibited in any outdoor area within 20 feet of a main exit or entrance of a public building. The law is designed to be self-enforcing, but a complaint call…
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