§ 15-151. Findings.

The following findings are hereby made:

(1)

Tobacco smoke is a major contributor to indoor air pollution; and

(2)

Breathing sidestream or secondhand smoke is a cause of disease, including lung cancer, in nonsmokers; and

(3)

Persons at special risk from the breathing of sidestream or secondhand smoke include pregnant women, children, and elderly persons, persons with cardiovascular disease, and persons with impaired respiratory function, including asthmatics, and persons with obstructive airway disease; and

(4)

Health hazards induced by breathing sidestream or secondhand smoke include lung cancer, respiratory infection, decreased exercise tolerance, decreased respiratory function, bronchoconstriction, bronchospasm, and ear infections in children; and

(5)

Nonsmokers with allergies or respiratory diseases and persons who suffer ill effects from breathing sidestream or secondhand smoke may experience a loss of job productivity or may be forced to take periodic sick leave because of adverse reactions to same; and

(6)

The smoking of tobacco or any other weed or plant is a hazard to the health of the general public; and

(7)

Existing studies on electronic smoking devices' vapor emissions and cartridge contents have found a number of dangerous substances and concerns including:

i.

The existence of chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer such as formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, lead, nickel, and chromium;

ii.

The existence of very small particulate matter that reaches deep into the lungs (PM 2.5), xylene, acrolein, tin, toluene, and aluminum, which are associated with a range of negative health effects such as skin, eye, and respiratory irritation, neurological effects, damage to reproductive systems, and even premature death from heart attacks and stroke;

iii.

There has been an increase in the reports of poisonings from electronic smoking devices and products, including acute poisonings of young children; and

iv.

The existence of nicotine in most electronic smoking devices. Nicotine is a highly addictive neurotoxin included in the Proposition 65 list of Chemicals Known to the State to Cause Cancer or Reproductive Toxicity and is known to cause birth defects. Nicotine is a component of the emissions from electronic smoking devices.

(Ord. No. 2581, § 1, 2-10-87; Ord. No. 3039, § 1, 12-1-92)

(Ord. No. 4100, § 1, 9-15-15)