Anaheim : Pickler Seeks Tough Anti-Smoking Law

A councilman wants the city to ban smoking in restaurants, retail stores and most other businesses, saying secondhand smoke is a danger to nonsmokers.

Councilman Irv Pickler wants the city to adopt the county’s tough new anti-smoking ordinance, which will eventually ban indoor smoking at almost every business in unincorporated areas of the county except at non-retail enterprises where every employee smokes.

Pickler on Tuesday asked the city administration to prepare a report detailing what effect a ban would have on Anaheim businesses. The report will probably be returned to the council in about a month.

“For years, we have known the dangers of secondhand smoke,” Pickler said. National health officials say 3,000 cases of lung cancer and 32,000 cases of heart disease among nonsmokers nationwide can be attributed to secondhand smoke annually. “We need to eliminate hazards that are out there that are dangerous to the public.”

Councilman Frank Feldhaus said previously that he would oppose such a ban, saying it would be unnecessary government interference with private enterprise. The other council members had no immediate reaction to Pickler’s request.

Allen Hughes, executive director of the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce, said the business community would also oppose Pickler’s proposal.

“We believe this should be an individual choice of the business owner and not a government edict,” Hughes said.

The county’s ordinance, which applies in unincorporated areas such as Sunset Beach and North Tustin and does not apply in cities, bans smoking in restaurants of fewer than 50 seats starting next month and larger restaurants next year. Retail stores and other businesses must also ban smoking by next year. Tobacco vending machines will also be prohibited.

The only exceptions are made for non-retail businesses such as a small manufacturer or a telephone solicitation office where every employee is a smoker.

Last year, the Anaheim council unanimously adopted a ban on smoking in all city-owned facilities. Included in that ban is the Anaheim Arena and the seating area at Anaheim Stadium.

The city also has an ordinance, adopted in 1986, that prohibits smoking in elevators, theaters, public restrooms and public sections of hospitals and requires restaurants of 50 seats or more to have nonsmoking sections. It also requires most businesses that were not in operation when the ordinance took effect to allow smoking only in areas where nonsmokers will not be bothered.