No Smoking Please

San Francisco moves toward far-reaching outdoor smoking ban
- LISA LEFF, Associated Press Writer
Thursday, January 27, 2005

(01-27) 08:27 PST SAN FRANCISCO (AP) --

From the zoo to Golden Gate Park to the stadium where the hometown 49ers
play, smokers in this tourism-driven city will soon find fewer outdoor
places to indulge their habits.

An expansive smoking ban approved by San Francisco supervisors Tuesday
prohibits lighting up in all city-owned parks, public plazas and sports
facilities except golf courses.

At least 11 other California cities and a handful of jurisdictions in other
states have enacted curbs on outdoor tobacco use, but anti-smoking advocates
say none is as far-reaching.

"San Francisco has been a pioneer in tobacco control for decades and
continues to be a pioneer with this law," said Bronson Frick, associate
director of Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights. "No other city has enacted a
law even close to what San Francisco is in terms of covering outdoor
places."

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom is expected to sign the law, which would
take effect July 1, said an aide to Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier, the
law's sponsor.

According to the ordinance, the prohibition applies to "any unenclosed area"
that is open to the public and under city jurisdiction. That includes any
"park, square, garden, sport or playing field other than a golf course,
recreational pier or other property used for recreational purposes." ...