Smoking Regulations Stricter in Santa Monica

That's the message in Hermosa Beach, where a push to comprehensively stamp out smoking is under way. And four months after approving a ban on smoking in public gathering areas - including outdoor dining areas on Pier Plaza - city leaders have embarked on an outreach program to spread the word. Based on smoking regulations in Santa Monica and Calabasas, the Hermosa Beach smoking law all but bans lighting up in places where the public congregates. Smoking will be outlawed in Pier Plaza and outdoor dining areas, public parks and parking lots, the pier and Strand, and the greenbelt, the pedestrian path between Valley Drive and Ardmore Avenue The ordinance takes effect Thursday. "While California has some of the strictest laws in the nation regarding tobacco control, it's clear state law falls short when it comes to protecting the public from second-hand smoke in outdoor gathering areas," said Councilman Jeff Duclos, who first proposed the ordinance in November 2010. "It's because of this that it has become the mantle of the city to take this on and protect the public safety and health of its residents." California anti-smoking laws already prohibit lighting up inside any place of employment, including bars, restaurants and cafes. The Hermosa Beach City Council banned smoking on the beach in 2006.