Letter: Nonsmoking rule protects the public

The city of Glendale is committed to keeping its housing and public spaces safe, healthy and pleasant for everyone.

Extensive medical and scientific research confirms that tobacco smoke is harmful to smokers and nonsmokers alike, triggering eye, nose, throat, and sinus irritation; hastening lung disease, including emphysema; and causing heart disease and lung cancer.

Smoking is not allowed in any Glendale Community College owned or leased facilities or in any district-owned or leased vehicles. This includes all district-owned parking lots, whether inside or outside of a vehicle. This also applies to electronic cigarettes or other imitation cigarette devices. Violations to the policy are subject to a $100 fine.

I am not a smoker and this rule is great for me. Second-hand smoke is especially hazardous to particular groups, including those with chronic health problems, the elderly and children.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency has classified secondhand smoke as a group A carcinogen, the most dangerous class of carcinogen that causes 3,000 lung cancer deaths per year among adult nonsmokers in the USA.

Irina Smbatyan
Glendale