Smoking bans in cities have become pretty popular over the last several years.
The latest city to join the club: Pasadena.
According to reporter
It takes effect in November, would prohibit smokers “from lighting up in outdoor restaurant patios, at bus stops, in ATM lines and within 20 feet of the entrance to any commercial building.”
It doesn’t look like enforcement is going to be very rigorous though.
But exactly how the smoking ban will be enforced — and whether the city will actually issue citations to violators — is still up in the air. And given the city’s past history with a previous no-smoking law adopted in 2004, an aggressive crackdown seems unlikely.
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Enforcement will be primarily the responsibility of several employees at the Health Department, not the police.
Health Department employees will not be out patrolling for smokers, said Wilmore. But like Calabasas, they will respond to complaints from businesses and individuals, he added.
Pasadena police will be trained about the new law, but enforcement will be a low priority, Chief David Melekian said. Don’t expect a cop to show up if you complain about illegal smoking, he added.
Other valley cities that also have smoking bans include South Pasadena and Baldwin Park.
Look for Dan’s story in tomorrow’s paper.
