Articles from California - no-smoke.org
Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights recognizes California for local smokefree laws, demands state level action
September 12, 2014
California's landmark statewide smokefree law, AB 13, protects millions of Californians from secondhand smoke exposure. In January 1995, many of California's enclosed public places and workplaces went smokefree, and restaurants and bars went 100% smokefree in January 1998.
Unfortunately, there are a number of exemptions that still allow smoking in some workplaces. Employers with five or fewer employees may allow smoking, but this does not apply to restaurants and bars. Employers may establish separately ventilated break rooms for smoking under certain narrow conditions. Owner-operated businesses, retail tobacco stores, cigar bars, warehouses of a specific size, hotel lobbies, and other specified workplaces are also exempt.
In 2011, a bill, AB575, was introduced to close many workplace exemptions in the state smokefree air law. However, the bill was weakened and is held up in the Senate due to political interference. Previously, the California legislature adopted a bill, AB1467, in 2007 to close the loopholes in the smokefree law, but unfortunately, then-Governor Schwarzenegger
vetoed the bill Read On
State Quitline Numbers:
1-800-NO-BUTTS (662-8887)
1-800-NO-FUME (456-6386) (Spanish)
1-800-778-8440 (Vietnamese)
1-800-838-8917 (Mandarin & Cantonese)
1-800-556-5564 (Korean)
1-800-844-CHEW (844-2439) (Chewing Tobacco)
American Cancer Society Quitline: 800-QUIT-NOW (800-784-8669)