Could San Francisco Ban Smoking on Bar Patios? | KQED

"Bar patios are one of the few remaining places San Franciscans can legally smoke in public. But on Monday, a committee of city supervisors will consider eliminating the exception for patio smoking, and join over 50 other cities in the Bay Area with similar bans."

"Maa said the ban builds off of a 2014 city law, which prohibited outdoor smoking at restaurants, but granted an exception for bars and taverns with outdoor patios after pushback from bar owners. Maa said Montiel's claims, and other arguments against the ban, are based on misinformation."

"He pointed to decades of public health research, which shows that whenever someone smokes outside, others around them risk inhaling particles in concentrations that can increase the risk of disease. He also said the tobacco industry has "targeted" the LGBTQ+ community and other minority groups in their marketing, and credited the San Francisco-based nonprofit LGBTQ Minus Tobacco for their contributions to "championing" the ban."

""It's only a small incremental step forward - that over 400 cities in America have already done," he said. "San Francisco is simply trying to catch up with the rest of the nation here.""

A committee of city supervisors will consider removing the exception that allows smoking on bar patios in San Francisco. More than 50 Bay Area cities already prohibit smoking on bar patios. The proposal is supported by medical groups including the American Heart Association and the American Lung Association, and is linked to a 2014 city law that banned outdoor smoking at restaurants while allowing patio smoking for bars and taverns. Supporters say smoking outdoors still exposes others to harmful particles that can increase disease risk. They also cite public health research and argue that opposition claims rely on misinformation. The change is described as a small step toward broader national adoption, with over 400 cities already taking similar action.

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