Public smoking ban considered
The city could soon become the last coastal municipality in Los Angeles County to prohibit smokers from lighting up.
Shortly before midnight Tuesday, the City Council voted 4 to 1 to draft an ordinance banning smoking at public beaches, city parks and recreational areas.
The ban won’t become official until the council approves the ordinance. If the measure passes its first reading Oct. 21, it will be put to a final vote Nov. 21. It would then take effect in 30 days.
The council had previously resisted pressure from health and environmental groups, which argue that smoking bans make beaches cleaner and limit the harmful effects of secondhand smoke.
-- Alexandra Zavis
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