Santa Monica Proposes to Ban Smoking in Apartment Rentals: Do You Agree With the City's Proposal?

by mrosen814 Posted 2012/07/25 22:00:00

Related Topics: smoking, Health, Santa Monica

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	Yes	411 votes	36%
	No	721 votes	64%

The city of Santa Monica recently proposed to ban smoking for new apartment and condo renters. Under the proposed ordinance, both new and existing multi-unit buildings would be subject to the ban.

Smokers already renting could continue to light up in their apartments, but the units would be covered by the ban as soon as they became vacant. According to the Los Angeles Times article, "Tenants who break the rules could be fined up to $500 if a landlord or a neighbor takes them to small claims court."

LATIMES.COM reports:
The Santa Monica City Council is scheduled to vote on a plan to bar new renters from smoking inside their apartments and condos. The council should demonstrate restraint and vote no.

plan bar renters smoking apartments condos council demonstrate restraint vote

+32

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dalevic 2012/07/27 14:53:04

No

+8
I am a non smoker and even I am sick of the government sticking their noses where they don't belong. They had no right banning smoking in private businesses and they have no right banning smoking in private property. If We the people do not stand up to these politicians at some point, and that would be NOW they will just keep STOMPING all over our rights. Today it may be smokers tomorrow it will be you "yes people"!!!
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More polls by mrosen814

aidennq... to thefatguy 2012/07/27 07:54:32

God Didn't Create Punctuation So Why Should We Use It

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thefatguy to aidennq... 2012/07/27 09:25:42

Punctuation helps a writer get his or her point across by helping the reader understand where to pause in a sentence, where to start, where to stop and if a sentence is a statement or a question. It shows respect to others. Why do you capitalize every word and not use punctuation? You just make yourself look uneducated. Is that what you want people to think or do you want people to take you seriously?

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Barb to Jules 2012/07/27 11:47:05

+1
Hey, did it occur to you that tobacco is a PLANT and therefore part of nature?? God made it.

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Hawk to Jules 2012/07/27 14:35:14

You are an idiot

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Jean to Jules 2012/07/27 14:59:36

God you're a bitch!

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Emylee Johansson 2012/07/27 03:26:31

No

+1
I don't think the Government should tell people who can smoke in their home or not. They aren't hurting anybody!

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RobertRowe 2012/07/27 03:05:50

No

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Stan Zebell 2012/07/27 02:57:55

No

+3
The only way I could support such a proposal is if the so-called city of Santa Monica owns the properties which they are attempting to control the tenent's behavior. If an owner wishes to allow or restrict smoking on thier property, that is up to the owner. If a prospective tenent wishes to occupy the property based on the owner's preferred policy, so be it. That voluntary compliance to the whims of the nannies and ninnies has failed to modify our behavior, this afront to the principles of Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness is being allowed to fester; pissing away not only this nations foundational structure, but also human-kind's natural pursuit of seld determination.

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ybnormall 2012/07/27 02:47:32

No

+2
Until they ban auto/truck/train/plane/heavy equipment exhaust, lets leave the small amount of smokers in Santa Monica alone. I honestly do not think that their 2nd or 3rd hand smoke is any worse than all the BS that's floating around in the air now. What about all the crap in detected in the water in Santa Monica, 23% of the 243 samples taken at the Santa Monica State Beach exceeded the state standards in 2011 prompting a total of 68 unsafe swimming advisories in the area. So lets worry about the small percentage of smokers, hahaha.
BTW I don't smoke.

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CT to ybnormall 2012/07/27 03:50:48

Well said.

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Sandra Hand 2012/07/27 02:43:38

No

How much longer are smokers going to be penalized for a legal habit, this proposal is out of the box. If the anti-smokers are going to ban smoking in most common areas, then why don't they get the politicians to outlaw smoking and the manufacturing of tobacco products. The taxes that we pay for our un-healthy habit are enormous, and we should be given credit for paying these taxes to fund education, roads, and etc.

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sami 2012/07/27 02:41:12

Yes

+2
If you live in an apartment you would be safer if no one smoked ... Just think a sleeping child in one apartment won't burn up because the neighbor fell asleep smoking ... Now ban candles in apartments ... Thank goodness for fire walls because apartment fires could be worse if the fire walls did not slow fires down ... That is why I never lived in an apartment because I did not trust neighbors to be careful enough for my family ...

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Stan Ze... to sami 2012/07/27 03:03:32

+1
You occupy the space owned by another person. The rights being denied are not your desire to live in a smoke-free zone (for that the remedy is find a space which meets your desires, or pursue ownership of such a place wherein you can determine the policies). The rights are of the property owner, who is now being forced to do with his property, not what is best for him and his situation, but what is best for the loudest voice gaining the city council's ear. If these lobbiests (you included) take your resources and apply them to constructing or converting your own properties to smoke-free zones, leave the owners of all other properties alone, perhaps we could come so some sane, liberty-inspired conclusion.

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CT to sami 2012/07/27 03:55:49

Be grateful you're not poor or just starting out and have nowhere to live except an apartment. Not everyone is that fortunate. Also, some people choose to reside in apartments and condos because they don't want to do any maintenance, especially if they travel for work or are elderly. Are those people not allowed to smoke? Why don't you tell me what programs cigarette taxes pay for and let me know if banning smoking is a good idea.

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Jesferk... to CT 2012/07/27 04:44:21

If you're just starting out and lacking cash or just poor, what in the hell are you doing wasting what little money you have on $5 a pack cigarettes anyway? The others you mention like those that pick apartments but have loads of cash usually are found in "private" apartments filled with other wealthy people. People of wealth are not required to live by the same sets of rules imposed upon the masses.

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lady_c5_loadmaster 2012/07/27 02:18:16

No

This 2nd hand smoke business is going too far. My husband and I were both raised with smokers and we never had a asthma problem. On the other hand neither of us smoke and our oldest daughter developed an asthma problem.

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Pedalpusher 2012/07/27 02:15:00

No

I'm not a smoker and I feel the owner of the property has the right to invoke such a rule. But they are asking the neighbors to enforce their rules on their neighbors, this can lead to a lot of hostility in the complex and that part isn't right!

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Dave 007 2012/07/27 02:05:25

No

+1
How soon will they just ban people?

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BunStinger 2012/07/27 01:59:51

No

+1
This is every bit as ridiculous as Bloomberg's soft drink ban.

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CT to BunStinger 2012/07/27 03:57:50

Don't forget the trans fat ban...

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brian 2012/07/27 01:45:50

No

Why don't they Ban making decisions! When will it stop if they ban smoking? It wont be long before they ban drinking Wine, Beer, or Liquor, in your private home, or Ice cream, for that matter. Just Outlaw freedom and get it over with! The decline of a free country is what you want then just do it and stop trying to wean us off freedom!

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CT to brian 2012/07/27 03:59:08

Prohibition failed. You'll never see an alcohol ban again. Plus, people get hammered every day! Tax money!!

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brian to CT 2012/08/02 19:46:23

Don't be so sure of that. They will get Tax money from us one way or another.

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mk, Smartass Oracle 2012/07/27 01:32:08

Yes

Sure, why not

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YOMOMMA 2012/07/27 01:18:51

No

They can have NON smoking apartments and smoking apartments but the owner of the apartments should have a choice.

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nicesteve 2012/07/27 01:16:03

Yes

You may be paying rent, but first, you are adversely affecting the health of your fellow
tennants with your second hand smoke. And second, your tobbacco smoke residue is
wreaking the hell out of flooring and carpeting, wall and ceiling finishes, window and door
blinds, kitchen and bath fixtures, heating and air conditioning, and the list goes on and on.
If smokers are so hell bent on satifying their tobbacco habits, then let them do it outdoors
and away from other tennants and dwellings that the smokers don't own to begin with.
Prefurrably at a designated smoking shelter nearby. Second hand smoke has been well
prooven to be both damaging to objects and property, and extreamly unsafe around other
people and pets. It is especially bad for children, youths, seniors, and even many young
adults. Smokers rights need to end where non smokers, innocent animal's, children's and
young people's rights and to a lesser extent, building owners rights all begin.

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Stan Ze... to nicesteve 2012/07/27 03:05:26

So move if you have a problem with the policies set in place by the property owner! Banning smoking at the behest of government and not the property owner slams the door in the face of tennents without the time or resources to block the block-heads in the city council.

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CT to nicesteve 2012/07/27 04:04:15 (edited)

I own apartments. I've seen filthier units in non-smokers than smokers. Let me explain something to you- it's called the price of doing business. Period. I allow pets and I have more filth and damage from units rented with pets than ANY smoker has done. You have no argument on this. I've had children trash my units because parents don't watch them. Do you know how much damage an unattended 3 year old does?? I've had non-smokers in domestics and ruin walls and windows because of their juvenile fights. Please, do not patronize the posters here with the "smokers do damage" B.S. I'm here to tell you PEOPLE do damage whether they smoke or not. I had a woman set a unit on fire because she was mad at her ex-boyfriend. Neither smoked.

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CT to nicesteve 2012/07/27 04:14:24

Also, pets are unsafe to people because they trigger allergies. Should I ban pets in my rental units? I'm one of few owners who allow smokers and pets. Are people not allowed to smoke or have pets because they reside in an apartment? I allow both and I reap the reward in all of my complex being full all the time. I know business, and repainting between each tenant is no problem to me. Again, I never hurt for tenants because they can smoke and have pets. People with children also live there! Sometimes, THEIR PARENTS SMOKE! Should an adult be told they cannot smoke if they have a child? Be very careful on that civil rights issue.

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Runaway 2012/07/27 01:10:56

No

Prohibition doesn't work, people. It didn't work in the 1920's. It hasn't worked since the 1940's. It won't work with tobacco, either.

And, it's none of the frigging city's business what you're doing in your own home, anyway.

What are they going to do - have SWAT teams raid apartments to see if people are smoking?

How can people be so retarded? Retardation en mass is a strange phenomenon. I guess this is what "mass hysteria" means.

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Sandra ... to Runaway 2012/07/27 02:47:06

Amen, I think that you nailed this subject right on target. Good for you.

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TruXter 2012/07/27 01:05:06

No

No. Just because a person does not own a home, they should lose freedoms?

Why not just a smoking section?

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Theresa 2012/07/27 00:55:31

Yes

Smoke seeps through vents and smokers leave apartments and houses with a stench that is unhealthy..

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CT to Theresa 2012/07/27 04:18:17

+1
Pets do the same and worse. That's fact. I'm here to tell you that's fact. I deal with it constantly.

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CT to Theresa 2012/07/27 04:22:32

Ever had a nasty tenant leave a unit with bedbugs? I have. Ever had a tenant leave you with fleas? I have. I've never had a tenant burn my walls or carpet with a cigarette. I took care of my apartment when I lived in it and no one knew I smoked. I have 8 pets in my home. No one knows I smoke or have pets until they see them. So tell me how you can convince me, an apartment owning smoker who has their own pets and house, that I'm wrong.

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Nancy S... to Theresa 2012/07/27 04:28:04

and a danger to the livevs of other apartment dwellers.

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Jean to Theresa 2012/07/27 15:00:32

Now I've heard it all from morons!

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Dori 2012/07/27 00:45:22

No

This should be a matter for the apartment owner. The Government, Federal, State or Local stay the hell out of my home. I don't smoke but it's legal, taxed to death and as in restaurants and bars, the owners should set the rules. Stinking gestapo

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CT to Dori 2012/07/27 04:23:48

+1
You're right, but property owners lose their rights when the government passes laws.

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Sunshine 2012/07/27 00:35:47

Yes

Yes, because many apartment fires have been started by someone falling asleep with a cigarette. Many innocent non-smokers have had their lives ruined by the negligence of smokers in apartments.

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