Panelists smoke out possible impacts of broader smoking ban in Hermosa Beach
A recently installed “voting bin” for disposal of cigarette butts on Pier Plaza. Photo In advance of considering a ban on smoking in all public areas, Hermosa Beach hosted a panel of experts last week to discuss the benefits and challenges of curbing tobacco use. The forum, held in association with the Beach Cities Health District and the Surfrider Foundation, addressed the health and environmental impacts of smoking. It came as the city steps up enforcement of its existing smoking regulations. Panelists agreed that municipal regulation is imperative to alter smokers’ behavior. “Legislation is the most effective tool we have to protect people from secondhand smoke,” said Mary Eno, regional chief of addiction medicine at Kaiser Permanente, South Bay. But enforcement has proven challenging. A 2011 ordinance banned smoking in much of downtown, including Pier Plaza. But inconsistent signage and a lack of follow-up left patrons in the area confused, with many continuing to smoke everywhere. The city began a stepped-up enforcement effort in advance of this year’s Memorial Day weekend. Officials reached out to businesses, designed placards and installed new cigarette disposal bins for…
Read this story on easyreadernews.com