Results tagged “smoking”

A Los Angeles city council committee will look into the long-delayed outdoor smoking ban draft ordinance this morning. If approved, it will then move on to the full city council where if passed, the ban will go into affect after a six-month education campaign. Basically, the ban says no smoking--unless you're just walking by--within 10 feet of an established outdoor dining area (think restaurants and cafes with sidewalk dining or outdoor food courts).

A $1.50 tax increase to packs of cigarettes sold in California was approved today by the state's Senate Health Committee. Yesterday, a legislative budget committee approved the increase, among various other deficit related moves, all supported by Democrats, which Schwarzenegger promises to veto. It's estimate that it would provide $1.2 billion in new revenues. "A statewide poll by David Binder Research in the wake of the May 19th Special Election demonstrates that a strong majority of voters, 74%, support increasing taxes on tobacco," said a release from the bills sponsor, Senator Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima). "Sixty-two percent of those who voted no on the Prop 1A budget measure support." 1998 was the last time packs of cigarettes were increased--back upping it by fifty-cents to the current $0.87 tax. 31 other states have a higher tobacco tax.

It's been more than a year since a proposal to ban smoking in outdoor dining areas was brought forth as an idea. Now, the City Attorney's office has written the draft ordinance, which is scheduled to be reviewed tomorrow by a City Council Committee.

If you live in an apartment and you don't appreciate your neighbors' cigarette smoke drifting in from common areas into your area, is there anything you can do besides close your window? Or move? In Long Beach, landlords and tenants interested in finding out their options plan to meet this afternoon for the "Smoke Free Apartments Community Forum" hosted by the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services, explains the Press-Telegram.

California's Department of Public Health and the California Conference of Local Health Officers released their annual report on the state of our health late this week, and it looks like "Los Angeles County residents are less likely to die of lung cancer, suicide or car crashes than residents of most other California counties - but more likely to die from heart disease and diabetes, according to the Daily News. In fact, our county "ranked 48 out of 58 in deaths from heart disease and 46 in diabetes."

Many a woman has relied, at one point in her life, on the big blue P's: Planned Parenthood. That's why we turned to their Medical Director in Los Angeles, Dr. Mary Gatter, for tips on how to stay healthy in the New Year. We approached her wondering exclusively about our nether regions (and yours), but she was quick to remind us that our bodies work as a whole. "One cannot divorce reproductive health from regular health," she said.

A motion to limit some outdoor smoking that was submitted last fall has took a big step yesterday when a city council committee approved it, passing it on to the full City Council for consideration. If passed a new law this summer would prohibit smoking on restaurant patios or within 10 feet of any outdoor establishment that serves food or beverages with the exception of bars with outdoor areas and other over-18 venues, according to the LA Times. Some restaurant and cigar groups were concerned at first but are now more at ease with the move to exclude bars and over-18 venues. Still, the ban on smoking is always a contentious one that gets people all riled up.

Banned for a little over a month now, Pasadena police will be out making sure smokers don't light up along the parade route at next week's Tournament of the Roses. They plan to educate people rather than enforce, but if someone refuses to put out their cigarette, the first ticket is $100 and further violations go up to $500.

Yesterday was about more ire than tobacco sparking on the streets of Glendale, as it marked the kick off for a new ban on "smoking in hallways of apartment complexes and in public areas - including parks, parking lots and parking structures, and even standing in line to use the ATM."

After more than six months since it was first proposed, Pasadena officials finally passed their new smoking ordinance last night. "The new rules will prohibit smoking in outdoor shopping and dining areas, in ATM and movie ticket lines, within 20 feet of building entrances and at outdoor events like the Rose Parade. That would make it nearly impossible to smoke in Old Pasadena, and other commercial districts of the city," reports the Pasadena Star News. "Violators would be fined $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second and $500 for third or subsequent violations, according to staff reports. Smoking in parks is already prohibited in the city." The ban could go into effect in 30 days, but the city may take some time to develop a marketing campaign first.

The next in a series of local cities considering smoking in public bans is Pasadena. After a hearing in May and last week, the council is expected to vote and most likely pass a resolution that will "prohibit smoking in outdoor malls, shopping areas and centers; in outdoor dining areas; in waiting lines, such as at movie theaters, ATMS, ect.; and at public events like the Rose Parade and community fairs," according to the Pasadena Star News.

The only legal spot along the South Bay coastline to smoke a cigarette has been put out. Redondo Beach City Council last night voted to ban smoking at the beach and in public parks. One councilman voted no saying police don't have the resources to enforce the law. But with that thinking, most everything shouldn't be a law. The next headline will be "Redondo Beach to ban stop signs."

The only Southbay city that still allows smoking on the beach will debate the issue tonight in a city council meeting. In the past, city officials have worried about various issues including inadequate resources to enforce such a ban and infringing on personal rights leading them to take no action on the ban. But the heyday of passing no smoking in public laws is here and now in California. The council will also talk about banning smoking in public parks.

As mentioned yesterday via blogdowntown, the Arts, Parks, Health and Aging Committee is exploring two smoking related motions today. The suggested actions will not completely ban smoking like it practically is in Calabasas, but they do further the limiting of your rights or the protection of your health, depending on how you see it.

After a two week break, the Los Angeles City Council is back to business. Today, they passed two motions of note. They extended the the year long moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries for another six months (remember last year when the DEA raided a dispensary in Hollywood as council voted on this?). The city is looking to draft regulations covering the facilities and the city attorney's office needs more time to create a policy "that would prevent abuses while still ensuring that such facilities are available to legitimate medical patients," according to the LA Times.

A law that would let landlords prohibit smoking in apartment buildings to protect tenants from secondhand smoke passed in the state senate Thursday -- it next goes to the state assembly, reports the LA Times.

Now there's an attention grabbing quote, spoken by Dick Messer, director of the Petersen Automotive Museum, up there in the headline. With the onslaught of laws and proposed ideas for drivers of cars (there are 33.5 million registered vehicles in California), many think it's getting a bit ridiculous in a report by the LA Times. From smoking with minors present in the car to driving with a pet on your lap (the Paris Hilton law), there's at least one law affecting someone (no more handheld cell phones anyone?)

You may or may not be aware of a new state law that went into effect on January 1, 2008. We were reminded of this a couple days ago, driving west on Santa Monica Blvd. in Beverly Hills.

Effective Jan 2008 / No smoking allowed / Inside a vehicle / When a Minor is with you

On LAist's "Contribute" page, there are three ways you can participate: submit a link, join the LAist Featured Photos group on Flickr or leave us an anonymous tip. And one reader did more just leave a tip, he submitted an entire rant. It's a good rant and it raises good questions regarding policing for sidewalk smokers, local economies and police resources:

Last Thursday evening, photographer/director Octavio "Winkytiki" Arizala (MySpace) celebrated the release of his Vivid-Alt (MySpace) movie at the Redwood Bar & Grill in Downtown LA.

Earlier this week, UCLA researcher and professor Edythe London had an incendiary device left on the porch of her home on the West side. London has been the target of such protest activities before, and remains as such, because of the project she is helming at the school to study nicotine addiction.

On Sunday, 60 Minutes updated their story from September on California Proposition 215 and Medical Marijuana in a 12-minute news report, saying the law became victim to the the law of unintended consequences.

For one thing, the federal government still views marijuana, medical or otherwise, as illegal and has been cracking down on dispensaries that sell it. For another, it's clear there are legions of people buying medical marijuana for the sole purpose of getting high. For both them and the truly ill in California, it's become an easy matter: just drop by your little pot shop around the corner. [60 Minutes]

Today's issue of LA Weekly holds their top few picks of the 740 new California laws coming our way in 2008.

An article from the Daily News takes a look at the toll the 6-month old smoking ban in Burbank is taking on its local workers, most of whom are flummoxed by the fact that a smoke break means breaking the law. According to the article, one local businessman "Barry Kessler, 48, owner of a downtown jewelry store bearing his family name, has led the charge against the anti-smoking ordinance. In the coming weeks he plans to bring together business owners and petition the council to ease up on smokers."

It was the day of the Mitchell Report And all through the house, Not a ballplayer was boozing, Not even Nancy, the louse The lawyers were called from Sidekicks with care In fear that St. George would soon be there. The players were all fearful on their mistresses beds, Visions of subpoenas dancing in their heads; Bud in his kerchief, and Boras in his cap Had just settled down for a post-Winter Meetings nap....

Scattered across Southern California today, the hundreds of fans who left Staples Center well before the game was over should be kicking themselves. Hard. Some wouldn’t blame them - the Dallas Stars were smoking the Kings 4-0, and it was Saturday night so perhaps they had amazing plans for after the game. If it were the latter, I can say with certainty that those postgame appointments should have been blown off or at least...

This could be an album cover. Really, how does Bowie manage to never look uncool, ever? He is constantly styling, even in the jail cell. I would totally be his prison bitch. Not to rip off The Smoking Gun once again, but this one called out to me. I am going to hang it over my bed.

Injured Lamar Odom, who has been a huge disappointment to the Lakers, totaled his Mercedes Benz in Hawthorne yesterday, t-boning a woman in a Geo Prism who had to be removed via the jaws-of-life. The small forward sustained a concussion from the accident but was healthy enough to watch the Lakers lose to the Rockets last night. Odom, who is inactive for the Lakers because of left shoulder surgery in the offseason, was on...

Brangelina are going into business together- the two have signed a deal with HBO to produce a drama series about, what else, international aid workers - Hollywood Reporter Iggygate isn't even close to being over - sources say Iggy wasn't the only pup Ellen Degeneres has passed along to staff members over the years - Page Six Soap star Nathaniel Marston was hospitalized after attacking three people with a crate, breaking one's leg this weekend...