Anaheim : Council Gives Tentative OK to Regulate Smoking

City Council members Tuesday gave tentative approval to an ordinance to regulate smoking but voted down a motion to ban smoking in the council chambers.

Following in the footsteps of other Orange County cities, Anaheim’s ordinance would regulate smoking in such public places as hospitals and health care facilities, auditoriums, restaurants, retail food stores, public restrooms and in the workplace.

The proposal also calls for prohibiting smoking in public and private theaters and auditoriums, including the Anaheim Convention Center.

A spokeswoman for the convention center said the center has signs up banning smoking in the arena. If approved as originally proposed, however, the smoking ordinance also will prohibit smoking in public restrooms and indoor service lines in the center, according to City Atty. Jack White.

Councilman E. Llewellyn Overholt Jr. said the ordinance “is something new, and it’s something that our city might have problems with” because Anaheim is a tourist center. For that reason, council members hope to generate more public input on the matter before it goes to a final vote on Jan. 7.

Speaking in opposition, Ron Saldana, a representative for the Tobacco Institute, urged the City Council to support a “voluntary approach” for smoking education. Saldana’s plan would allow the business community “to address this problem where it exists” and determine policies that will work in individual businesses.

On the other hand, a member of the Californians for Nonsmokers’ Rights, a lobbying group for nonsmokers, said a volunteer program would warrant the backup support of an ordinance.