The City of Clearlake and unincorporated Lake County have received a grade of F for having no outdoor protections against secondhand smoke.
On Tuesday, Jan. 9, the American Lung Association of California released a report card grading how well cities in the Bay Area are protecting residents from secondhand smoke where they live and work. The report indicated that protections vary widely in different county and city jurisdictions. It was part of an American Lung Association State of Tobacco Control report that was released nationwide.
“What these grades show us is that not everyone is protected equally,” stated Karen Fulton, executive director of the American Lung Association of California for the Greater Bay Area, Monterey and North Coast. “That is why we are releasing these local grades — to encourage cities to see how they can better protect their residents with these health-saving laws.”
Cities and counties were graded based on criteria on whether policies are in place to provide smoke-free environments in three areas: outdoor dining, workplace doorways and parks/sports areas. Clearlake received an F in all three areas of study, as did unincorporated Lake County.
The City of Lakeport received Fs for outdoor dining and for workplace doorways but because it had recently passed a smokefree parks ordinance, it received an A in this area. The City of Lakeport”s overall grade was a C.
“The public wants more protections for secondhand smoke, especially in multi-unit housing,” Fulton said. “Nearly all of the complaints we receive on secondhand smoke concern drifting smoking between apartments and condos. The California Air Resources Board finding that declared secondhand smoke a toxic air contaminant, and the June Surgeon General”s report, stating there is no safe level of secondhand smoke have raised everyone”s consciousness of this dangerous and unnecessary toxin.”
State law currently requires a 20-foot smoke-free buffer from all entrances of city, county and state buildings, and bans smoking within 25 feet of outdoor playground areas designated for children. According to the recent report, the safest North Bay cities and areas for non-smokers are Santa Rosa, Arcata, Healdsburg and unincorporated Marin County, which have enacted comprehensive local laws to protect residents from secondhand smoke exposures.
The American Lung Association of California is offering assistance to cities interested in providing better protections for their residents. “We know that cities have a lot on their plates,” Fulton said. “But we are available to help cities with secondhand smoke laws. City and county leaders have a responsibility to protect those who work and live in their jurisdictions.”
The American Lung Association”s State of Tobacco Control 2006 Report and information about quitting smoking are available at www.californialung.org.
Contact Cynthia Parkhill at cparkhill@clearlakeobserver.com.
