Signs Please

For over 30 years, I have worked tirelessly, first as a health educator with the Public Health Department and now as a community activist, to have Santa Barbara County go smoke free. It has taken a coalition more than a dozen agencies and individuals to convince elected officials to make far-reaching policies to restrict smoking indoors and outdoors. I congratulate the Santa Barbara City Council for adopting one of the most comprehensive outdoor air laws in the county. Smoking, not just cigarettes, but also e-cigarettes and marijuana, are banned in most outdoor areas. In fact there are only five places where smoking is permitted:

• Bar patios
• Restaurant patios, after 10 p.m.
• Private parking lots
• Private vehicles
• The 18 holes of the municipal golf course

It has been one year since these policies were approved. I want to thank the Santa Barbara City Council and staff for their leadership and commitment to public health. I look forward to having signs installed, which will allow for more self-enforcement and improve public education. This will help make this law a reality.