L.A. Launches Crackdown on Smoking in Bars, Restaurants

About 18 months after the state enacted a workplace smoking ban, Los Angeles officials announced Wednesday that they are putting some teeth into the law with new enforcement measures targeting restaurants and bars.

Two city fire inspectors have been designated to handle enforcement duties and will begin investigating repeat complaints of violators at the city’s more than 3,000 bars and restaurants starting today.

Under a city ordinance passed in April and designed to enhance the state ban, business owners will be required to post “no smoking” signs--with a toll-free complaint number--at their establishments.

“This is about the health of the public,” said Councilwoman Laura Chick, joined by city fire and county health officials at a City Hall news conference.

Chick said the ban is meant in part to protect restaurant and bar workers, who are involuntarily subjected to secondhand smoke.

“Employees should not have to choose between their health and their job,” Chick said.

The city attorney’s office will take the calls from the toll-free complaint number and issue written warnings to violators, officials said. If a second complaint for the same establishment is received, fire inspectors said they will visit the site within three days.

Inspectors may issue a citation to the business owner and the smoking patrons they encounter. Fire inspectors Albert Valle and Brian Jones also said they will periodically target areas of the city and conduct sweeps of repeat offenders.

Business owners will be subject to a first-time fine of $100. Second- and third-time violators will pay $200 and $500. After a third violation, Cal-OSHA will be notified and may issue a fine of up to $7,000, officials said.

Patrons who fail to comply with the ban will pay $81 for the first violation, $162 for the second and $324 for third violations and beyond.

County public health officer Jonathan Fielding said most establishments are complying with the law.

It’s a matter of changing social norms, he said. “At one time, people thought smoking on airplanes was OK. Now nobody expects that.”