Solana Beach’s Tough Ban on Smoking Won’t Be Cold-Turkey Affair

Unwilling to make local businesses go “cold turkey,” the Solana Beach City Council voted Monday night 3 to 2 in favor of a total ban on smoking in public buildings and restaurants, but agreed to delay implementing it until September.

Council members noted that summer is the busiest time for local restaurants.

“We need to be careful about making people go cold turkey,” Councilman Paul Tompkins said. “I think 100% smoke-free is a goal we should work for.”

The council vowed that Solana Beach would indeed implement the toughest smoking ordinance in San Diego County. The final reading on the ordinance is expected within a month.

Opposing the ordinance, Councilwoman Marion Dodson favored a voluntary program, and Tomkins favored wanted a gradual increase in smoking restrictions to aid the transition for businesses.

“It seems to me the city is poised to take a leadership role, not just for the city, but for the entire county,” Councilman Richard Hendlin said.

More than 50 people attended the meeting, which went late into the night. Most of the speakers represented the local business community.

“We fear that this type of restrictive law will have a devastating impact on our business,” said Richard Montanez, who was representing 27 merchants.

But not all the speakers were against the ordinance.

“Let us lead the way,” argued Elizabeth Zaslow.

Another local resident, Ken Gross, said he favored a section of the ordinance that prohibits cigarette vending machines in areas accessible to young people.

A representative of the American Cancer Society also attended the meeting to emphasize the dangers of secondhand smoke.

The city’s current smoking ordinance, which is similar to the county’s, requires that restaurants and offices set aside areas for smokers.

In addition to banning smoking in restaurants and public offices, the new ordinance will make it illegal to place cigarette vending machines in areas accessible to children under 18. It also requires that Solana Beach hotels set aside rooms for nonsmokers. The ordinance will not pertain to bars.

Similar measures have been approved in other California cities, including Lodi and San Luis Obispo, without major incident. A study conducted last year by a University of California, San Francisco research team concluded that a ban did not harm the restaurant business.