Residents of Torrance are urging the City Council to address the issue of secondhand smoke.

A study by Behavioral Health Services (BHS), a non-profit organization based in Torrance, found that 80% of local residents have encountered secondhand smoke or aerosols in outdoor spaces, while 90% feel that smoking should be more strictly regulated in these areas.

BHS was awarded a $700,000 grant, which will be distributed through August 2022 until the end of this year, by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. The funding is intended to “gather data and carry out surveys, interact with and inform the community, including enlisting residents to help establish and maintain coalitions, and update local officials via these coalitions about the concerns related to secondhand smoke exposure in outdoor spaces in Torrance,” as stated by a representative from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

As part of this initiative, financial support was given to three more organizations to conduct surveys in seven additional cities, namely Walnut, Covina, Montebello, Whittier, Duarte, San Gabriel, and West Covina. In response to these surveys and community-driven advocacy efforts, the cities of Walnut and Covina enacted smoke-free outdoor area policies this year.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has worked to inform communities and promote policies related to the risks of secondhand smoke and ways to prevent exposure.

Secondhand smoke exposure is the third major preventable cause of death in the United States, resulting in 49,830 non-smokers dying annually, including 3,400 fatalities from lung cancer, 46,000 from coronary heart disease, and 430 from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome,” the representative stated. “The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that secondhand smoke leads to over 300,000 instances of asthma, bronchitis, middle ear infections, and pneumonia in children each year within the country.

In California, one out of every four cancer-related deaths is attributed to cigarette smoking, with approximately 41,000 deaths annually resulting from non-smokers’ exposure to secondhand smoke.

These figures were a key factor in motivating local resident Robert Habel to establish the Tobacco-Free Torrance Coalition.

Secondhand smoke is highly hazardous,” Habel stated. “I was raised in a household where everyone smoked—my parents, my brother, and my sister—and it definitely had an impact on me.

Habel smoked heavily for over 70 years until he was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2020 and required surgery to remove part of his left lung.

I’m the person who said, ‘I’ll never get cancer. It won’t happen to me,'” he remarked. “I heard the stories about secondhand smoke, but as a smoker, you don’t believe those or you don’t want to. I know people who have cancer and never smoked, but their family members, relatives, or coworkers did.

The Tobacco-Free Torrance Coalition is requesting that the City Council implement an ordinance which imposes stricter rules on outdoor non-smoking zones by prohibiting smoking in outdoor dining areas, public outdoor spaces, and within 25 feet of any building’s entrance or exit. They also aim to enhance signage to clearly indicate where smoking or vaping is not allowed. Although the state already has regulations that prevent smoking within 20 feet of a building’s entrance or exit, coalition member Gabriela Fischer believes these measures are insufficient.

The Coalition’s suggested ordinance would enhance protections by including sidewalks, outdoor dining areas, and public events, locations where the state law does not fully apply,” Fischer stated. “California’s 20-foot rule is beneficial, but it creates significant gaps where individuals are still frequently exposed to smoke. The coalition is aiming for thorough protection against the risks of secondhand smoke by addressing features specific to Torrance.

Fischer became part of the coalition upon learning that vaping occurs both inside and outside the vape shop located near her business, which is permitted due to specific exemptions given to certain businesses that sell cigarettes, vapes, or e-cigarettes.

As per the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, secondhand aerosol vapor poses a similar level of risk as secondhand smoke because it contains thousands of harmful chemicals, including those linked to cancer and flavoring agents.

The Tobacco-Free Torrance Coalition is urging the city council to implement a thorough smoke-free outdoor policy, akin to what the Beach Cities have already established,” Fischer stated. “Their regulations ban smoking on sidewalks, in outdoor dining spaces, at public gatherings, and within 25 feet of business entrances.

The Beach Cities Health District enforces some of the strictest rules regarding outdoor smoking in California, applying to Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, and Redondo Beach. In particular, Manhattan Beach has implemented a complete ban on the sale of all tobacco products within the city limits.

Having once been a smoker, Habel mentioned that he believes it is also crucial to enhance visible signage in areas where smoking and vaping are prohibited, as some individuals who smoke may not be aware of the locations where they are not permitted to do so.

I have become a strong supporter of displaying these types of signs and increasing the visibility of non-smoking indicators,” he stated. “There are certain areas where individuals continue to smoke close to structures where they shouldn’t, and we hope the city will install some signs in those locations.

The Tobacco-Free Torrance Coalition addressed the City Council at a public hearing, requesting that this ordinance be reviewed in a subsequent meeting, with council members and staff provided with the survey findings.

“As BHS keeps interacting with locals, important community partners, city employees, and elected officials, we trust that the city will explore a policy approach to this matter,” said a spokesperson from the L.A. County Department of Public Health.

Nevertheless, the city has chosen not to address whether the matter will be reviewed, stating in a written response that “the city has not received any resident-driven inquiries regarding outdoor non-smoking zones, and employees have not engaged with residents since there have been no such requests.”

Nevertheless, Habel stated that the coalition will keep attempting to have the item added to the agenda for a future City Council meeting.

© 2025 Daily Breeze, Torrance, California. Visitwww.dailybreeze.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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