Lassen County Municipal Code Ch. 9.50 Smoking

This chapter shall be known and cited as the "Smoking Pollution Control Chapter" of the Lassen County Code.

(Ord. 501 § 1, 1990; Ord. 501A § 1, 1993; Ord. 2016-004 § 1)

The Lassen County board of supervisors does hereby find that numerous studies have found that smoke, and especially tobacco smoke, is a major contributor to indoor air pollution, and that breathing secondhand smoke is a cause of disease, including lung cancer, in nonsmokers. The Environmental Protection Agency has declared secondary smoke to be a potent Class A carcinogen, ranked in the same class with radon, asbestos, and other established cancer-causing agents. Health hazards induced by breathing second-hand smoke include lung cancer, respiratory infection, decreased exercise tolerance, decreased respiratory function, bronchoconstriction, and bronchospasm. At special risk are individuals with cardiovascular disease, and individuals with impaired respiratory function, including asthmatics and those with obstructive airway disease.

Lassen County is dedicated to providing a healthy, comfortable, and productive environment for all employees and members of the general public. Accordingly, the Lassen County board of supervisors declares that the purpose of this chapter is to: (1) protect the health and welfare of county employees and the visiting-public by prohibiting smoking in all county buildings and vehicles; and (2) guarantee the right of nonsmokers to breathe smoke-free air, and to recognize that the need to breathe smoke-free air shall have priority over the desire to smoke.

(Ord. 501 § 1, 1990; Ord. 501A § 1, 1993; Ord. 2016-004 § 1)

The term "county building"

refers to any building owned or leased by the county of Lassen which accommodates county employees acting within the scope of their employment.

The term "county vehicle"

shall mean any motorized transportation device owned by or leased to the county of Lassen.

The term "smoke"

refers to that smoke produced by the combustion of tobacco, fluids, or any other weed or plant by any means including, but not limited to, cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and electronic cigarettes and smoking devices of any kind.

(Ord. 501 § 1, 1990; Ord. 501A § 1, 1993; Ord. 2016-004 § 1)

(a) No person shall smoke or cause the production of smoke in any county building or county vehicle.

(b) No county employee shall smoke or cause the production of smoke in any county building or county vehicle.

(Ord. 501 § 1, 1990; Ord. 501A § 1, 1993; Ord. 2016-004 § 1)

The success of this policy will depend upon the thoughtfulness, consideration, and cooperation of smokers and nonsmokers. All employees share in the responsibility for adhering to and enforcing this policy.

This smoking pollution control ordinance shall be communicated to all employees within three weeks of its adoption. All employers shall supply a written copy of the smoking pollution control ordinance upon request to any existing or prospective employee.

"No Smoking" signs or the international "No Smoking" symbol (consisting of a pictorial representation of a burning cigarette enclosed in a red circle with a red bar across it) shall be clearly, sufficiently, and conspicuously posted in every building or other place where smoking is regulated by this chapter.

Clarification of the policy and/or problems with compliance should be brought to the attention of the appropriate supervisory personnel up to and including the department head. An employee or supervisor may submit compliance problems which are not resolved at the department level to the county administrative officer. Personnel action up to and including dismissal may be taken for violations of this chapter. On any dispute arising under this chapter, the rights of the non-smoking employee shall be given preference.

(Ord. 501 § 1, 1990; Ord. 501A § 1, 1993; Ord. 2016-004 § 1)