In Belmont smoking in apartments has been banning

Published on Tue, 16 October 2007 4:10 pm

Belmont is the first city in the world that has banned smoking in multi-unit apartment buildings. This measure was qualified as “draconian measures against secondhand smoke”. Partially, it is true because after launching of the new law, smoking becomes banned even in private apartments.

New ordinance was voted 3-2 and consequently it was accepted as prolongation of ban that was already launched in the Belmont. Secondhand smoke is serious problem that needs to be prevented and resolved in the end.

Smoking will be permitted only in designated outdoor areas of multi-unit housing. This declaration was reported by local TV station.

Some California cities also accepted veto on lightening up in multi-unit common areas, but Belmont is the first state that banned it in individual apartments.

This regulation is focused on those who used to smoke in apartments ignoring the fact that they are surrounded by non-smokers or by children. This is not good for health and exposure to secondhand smoke brings to very regrettable results. Regulation will help to empower the peoples’ health and keep apartments cleaner, at least of tobacco smoke.

However, we don’t know what the penalties for not respecting this ordinance are. Smoking isn’t entirely banned in Belmont. You can smoke if you live in single-family home and have your yard, or stay in units and/or yard in apartment building, condominium and townhouse that don’t share any common floors or ceilings with other units. Also, you can smoke if you are in the street and footpaths.

In other cases any attempt to light up is lawbreaking. Belmont people are not allowed to smoke if they are in and outside of workplace, or in parks, stadiums, sports fields and trail. Also, it is not permitted to smoke if you are near outdoor shopping areas.

But new ordinance will take effect after passing one year, so new rules will have legal effect not so soon.

The ban will not take effect for an additional 14 months after the ordinance is passed, so that one-year lease agreements will be unaffected.

Under the new ordinance smoking will not be allowed in indoor and outdoor workplaces, or in parks, stadiums, sports fields, trails and outdoor shopping areas.

Smoking on city streets and footpaths will still be permitted.