Business owners say the ban could force patrons onto sidewalks and disrupt long-standing bar culture, while proponents of the ordinance say second-hand smoke is a threat to patrons and workers.
San Francisco county supervisors are weighing a proposal that would ban smoking on bar patios and in parklets, potentially closing a decades-old exception that allows smoking in outdoor bar spaces and semi-enclosed patios.
According to a report by Nina Singh-Hudson in Hoodline, "Bar owners argue the move would simply push smokers onto the sidewalks and pile on yet another pressure point for venues still clawing back from the pandemic."
The proposed measure, File No. 260361, would ban smoking on bar and tavern patios. Research shows that outdoor patios can still pose an unhealthy level of danger for people exposed to second-hand smoke, including bar employees.
The city's Small Business Commission voted 6-0 in opposition of the proposal, "warning that the ordinance could drive smokers onto sidewalks, inflame neighborhood disputes and place extra strain on nightlife venues, according to the commission’s response letter."
The ordinance would have to be approved by the city's Land Use and Transportation Committee before heading to the full Board for votes.
Read the full story: Smoky Showdown: San Francisco Bars Face Crackdown On Patio Puffing
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