No butts about it, smoking in apartments is illegal
The City Council of San Rafael, just 15 miles north of San Francisco has unanimously voted to ban smoking inside of any multi-family home, whether the tenant is a renter or owns the unit or building. According to Reuters1, nine other municipalities in California have already taken the same measure, adding the 57,000 residents of San Rafael to the non-smoking roster.
The ban includes condos, duplexes, townhomes, apartments, or any other multi-unit housing, and goes as far as simultaneously making it illegal to smoke on downtown streets. Reuters reports it is the city’s hope that other cities across the country will follow their lead and do the same.
“We are happy to blaze a trail,” Mayor Gary Phillips said, pun likely intended. “We’re most happy to be in the forefront of the issue because we think it will greatly benefit our residents and those visiting San Rafael, and we think it will set the tone for other cities as well.”
According to the American Lung Association, California is the only state so far where smoking has been banned in homes. The move is praised by anti-smoking advocates, but smokers may be upset by the move. Privacy advocates are likely to continue speaking out against the in-home smoking bans, as what a person does in the privacy of their own home is just that – private.
“This is tyranny”
“This proposed smoking ban actually intends to punish people for what they do in their own homes,” Thomas Ruppenthal told the council. “I really feel this is tyranny.”
Some have taken to Twitter to ask what’s next? @Aaron643 asks, “In your own home…what’s next? Soda? Fatty foods?”
San Rafael’s ordinance is applicable to all multi-family homes, be they new or old, owned or rented, while other cities have installed anti-smoking bans inside homes with rules such as restricting the ban to new construction.
Look for other California cities to take similar measures, and for the movement to leak into other states.
