Outdoor Smoking Banned in L.A. County

Alejandro Benes
Posted: September 16, 2009

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted on Tuesday largely to restrict smoking in county parks.

The measure proposed by the L.A. County Department of Parks and Recreation passed by a vote of 4 to 1. The county ban follows a similar ban imposed earlier this year by the Los Angeles City Council on smoking in city parks and other outdoor facilities.

The exceptions to the smoking ban in L.A. County parks are designated areas of recreational facilities, such as golf courses and tennis courts, which are administered by outside contractors. Additionally, exceptions to the smoking ban will also be considered for actors in different productions that have permits and for models in photo shoots the county permits.

Some of those contractors argued at the meeting that a total ban on smoking in the parks would adversely affect attendance and revenues. The parks department had no figures on the potential economic impact and was the one to suggest the compromise to allow smoking in designated areas.

During the meeting, proponents of the measure said secondhand smoke was the "third leading cause of preventable deaths" in the United States.

The ban was passed one day after officials in New York City announced plans to pursue a similar outdoor smoking ban.

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