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LA County Health Officer Dr. Jonathan Fielding on why apartment owners in Santa Monica, California soon will not be allowed to smoke in their apartmen...
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Although that smoking is bad for you can you really shouldn't do -- but a new line Santa Monica California says that in just a few weeks.
You can't smoke in your own apartment even if you own it.
Now I can understand landlords management companies prohibiting renters from smoking in apartment buildings but -- -- -- home.
I can't believe the government is gonna tell me.
Whether or not I can smoke inside those -- how worries even slowed here -- to disagree with me is doctor Jonathan.
Fielding who has been working closely with the Santa Monica City Council to get this books on the lot doctor thanks so much for joining me -- appreciate it.
My pleasure so this what disturbs me about this -- -- and you just heard a bit of it just now but losses that all new occupancies.
We'll be nonsmoking units this includes all new construction and all existing units that become -- -- so I'd go to Santa Monica and I'd buy a home.
I in the government's gonna prevent me from smoking inside the four walls of my own home it makes me feel at what's next.
Well this is.
Multi unit housing and it's not just in Santa Monica there about a half a dozen cities just in LA county that have similar legislation ordinances that doesn't matter.
Now wait a minute wait a -- this is multi unit dwellings in that concern.
Is protecting nonsmokers -- Center for Disease Control estimates are 46000.
Excess heart disease deaths because of involuntary smoking.
A 150 to 300000.
Cases of bronchitis and pneumonia in kids under eighteen months because of exposure to.
To cigarette smoke and cigars focus.
-- -- Condo or townhouse you're telling me by smoking inside my own home.
That that is going to cause my neighbor to get cancer and died that's hard to believe.
Here you are you are sharing the year the estimate -- -- for the years I don't know an attachment.
He -- we're talking about condos and we're talking about multi unit dwellings were not talking about your own home on a half acre.
We're talking about multi unit dwellings -- 430 to 50% of the year you get.
-- -- unit is coming from having -- is not just from the heating and air conditioning system is through.
The pipes that go through the wall on the base forward in the fixtures and everything that happens between you two -- you.
So you're not in fact just keeping me here to yourself.
-- I about demonizing smokers this is about protecting nonsmokers how.
In the world -- you ever gonna enforce something like this it says the primary enforcement would be in formal communication and -- small claims court.
The first violation would be hundred dollars 500 dollars for the third violation how are you going to prove.
That your neighbor is smoking inside their house.
Well this is up to the -- going to small claims court so there's a court that'll did you indicate this but in many other jurisdictions.
There in fact doing similar things sometimes -- the code enforcement -- sometimes the Health Department environmental health.
There have to be ways and oftentimes -- starts with a small fine this is not running out to evict people you know right away.
But it's possible that if in fact this is ignored and -- in fact imperiling other people's health that there can be evictions in certain circumstances.
They said the City Council is gonna come back it is going with a firm date.
To prohibit smoking in all units including those where smoking is currently allowed -- the goal is to make Santa Monica entire week.
Smoke free in these units -- gonna drive people out.
Your town.
-- I don't think so because if you look bare half a dozen cities there's Pasadena in South Pasadena and involve a part in Compton a whole bunch of places that are doing similar things in fact.
Those other places are saying that after a date certain.
You're not going to be able smoking anywhere is in Santa Monica they're saying that tenant can designate can say that their apartment the smoking and as long as there there.
They can they can smoke a less thee is some other -- and so it's only when it turns over that it would have to become nonsmoking.
I guess we'll see I think it's outrageous that you tell people what they can do inside the four walls of the home they own but I appreciate that you disagree with -- you think it's a health risk.
And we'll see over time that people choose to move there and and you know would find this -- thank you for coming on the show tonight -- -- -- -- -- You're welcome I think we're gonna find this all over the country I don't think this is going to be limited to California like.
When we said no smoking and restaurant -- that -- my goodness how can you not do that focus other people with a people who work there were getting.
-- you're right and it's mainly previously issued you're sitting right next to the other people on inside the four walls my house they're yelling and we have to go thank you for coming on -- -- -- -- -- multi unit here at a multi unit dwellings.
We got to -- thank you so much.
