Health & Fitness
This Monday, Help End Second Hand Smoke in Multi-Unit Dwellings
Help San Carlos end the practice of allowing neighbors to legally poison fellow neighbors.
San Carlos may be the next city on the Peninsula to adopt an ordinance protecting multi-unit housing residents from the deadly health risks of second hand smoke. On Monday January 28, the San Carlos City Council will hear a staff report and public comment on how over 50 communities have implemented and enforced said ordinances, lessons learned, and aggregated best practices. The process began last summer when Breath Californiaand other organizations part of the San Mateo County Tobacco Education Coalition spoke at a city council meeting about the health threats caused by second hand smoke. Mayor Mark Olbert, a Councilmember at the time, put forward a motion to hold a study session on the issue which was seconded by the council. In response, a volunteer community group "San Carlos Smoke Free" was co-founded by lifetime resident Dan Mueller and other local residents affected by second hand smoke in their homes. "We come from different neighborhoods but we all share the same problem: we can not enjoy the comfort of our homes because other people are smoking in theirs. Second hand smoke travels through vents, walls and open windows, it's an inescapable, horrible experience, that according to the CDC, negatively affects the health of up to 20 units per smoker, and, without a city ordinance, HOAs and Property Managers feel powerless to enforce no-smoking policies in owned or rented units. It's time for San Carlos to join its more progressive neighbors, including Belmont, Redwood City, Foster City, and many more, in successfully adopting policies that stop citizens from legally poisoning fellow citizens with second-hand smoke" said San Carlos Smoke Free spokesperson Dan Muller.
The San Carlos City Council meets Monday January 28 at 7 pm in the City Council chambers, 700 Elm Street, San Carlos, and, needs your presence, your voice, in sharing your experience with the dangers of second hand smoke in your home. Help San Carlos end the practice of allowing neighbors to legally poison fellow neighbors.