San Francisco supervisors consider ban on smoking inside some apartment buildings

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Tuesday, December 1, 2020
SF considers ban on smoking inside apartments
Smoke-free housing? The San Francisco Board of Supervisors is set to vote on a proposal to ban smoking tobacco or cannabis inside some apartment and condo buildings.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Smoking may soon be banned in many apartment and condo buildings in San Francisco under a proposed ordinance crafted by Supervisor Norman Yee.

County supervisors are expected to vote on the proposal during Tuesday's board meeting.

RELATED: San Francisco Board of Supervisors votes unanimously to ban e-cigarettes

Smoking is already illegal in common spaces such as stairwells and hallways, and many landlords do not allow it indoors entirely, but this proposal takes it a step further to protect other residents from secondhand smoke.

Repeat offenders could be fined $1,000 a day, according to the SF Chronicle. However, tenants could not be evicted for any violations.

Ban supporters say it's important to protect the health of non-smokers, especially low-income residents in dense apartment buildings, the Chronicle reports.

If passed, a ban on cigarette and cannabis smoking would apply to buildings with at least three units.

The only exception would be for medical cannabis.

Sixty-three California cities - including Alameda, Berkeley, Santa Clara and Santa Rosa -- and counties already have bans.