Contra Costa Supervisors Approve Measure To Ban Outdoor Smoking in Public Areas
The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously voted to develop a plan to ban smoking in some outdoor areas, including picnic grounds, restaurant patios and multiunit housing complexes, the Contra Costa Times reports.
The measure would ban smoking only in county parks and buildings and businesses in unincorporated areas of Contra Costa.
County Health Services must develop options for an ordinance and present them to the board's Family and Human Service Committee within 90 days.
Supervisor Mark DeSaulnier said he proposed the measure because of increased rates of cancer, heart disease and respiratory ailments in the county. Contra Costa County spends $228 million annually on treating tobacco-related illnesses associated with smoking, according to county Health Services (Rosen Lum, Contra Costa Times, 12/21).