No Smoking Ordinance Passed By Beverly Hills City Council

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – On a first reading, the Beverly Hills City Council has passed an ordinance that would prohibit smoking in multi-unit properties including apartments, duplexes and condominiums. The ordinance is scheduled for a final vote and adoption at the Oct. 3 City Council Formal Meeting.

“This is a huge step forward for Beverly Hills,” said Mayor Lili Bosse in a statement. “Smoking is the single biggest contributor to respiratory illness and we must do everything we can to reduce smoking and second-hand smoke in our community.”

If final approval is given, smoking will be prohibited in all newly leased multi-unit dwellings and associated exclusive use areas such as balconies, patios and decks effective beginning on Jan. 1, 2018. Common indoor and outdoor areas such as hallways, pathways, lobbies, community rooms and laundry facilities will also fall under these regulations on this date. Effective Jan. 1, 2019, smoking would be prohibited in all multi-unit dwellings, inclusive of all rental units and owner-occupied units, the City of Beverly Hills press release said.

The City’s definition of smoking includes both traditional tobacco smoke as well as electronic cigarettes. California Health and Safety Code prohibits the smoking of cannabis or cannabis products in a location where smoking tobacco is prohibited, so these proposed regulations would also apply to marijuana smoke.

City Council emphasized the importance of smoking cessation programs and asked the Health and Safety Commission to discuss options for helping residents who wish to quit. The regulations have been developed over the past year at numerous Health and Safety Commission meetings where public comment was heard on the topic, the press release said.

According to a 2010 report from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, approximately 8% of the Beverly Hills adult population smokes, which is lower than the Los Angeles County average smoking prevalence rate of 14%. For more information on the development of the ordinance and other City smoking regulations, visit beverlyhills.org/smoking or call (310) 285-1014.

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