San Francisco Considers Apartment Smoking/Vaping Ban

The San Francisco, California Board of Supervisors is considering a bill that would outlaw people from smoking or vaping cannabis or tobacco in apartment buildings of three or more units, the San Francisco Examiner reports. The proposal does exempt registered medical cannabis patients from the ban.

The legislation was introduced by outgoing Board of Supervisors President Norman Yee, who said the measure deals with “the right of … residents to breathe clean air.” However, Supervisor Rafael Mandelman said there should be a blanket exemption for cannabis smoke because, since legalization, not all who use cannabis for medical purposes need to get a patient card.

“For folks who do not have a medical cannabis card, there are very few places outside their own home where you can consume cannabis. It is not parallel to cigarettes in that way. Cigarettes, there are still places where smokers can go and smoke. That is not so much the case for cannabis smokers.” – Mandelman via the Examiner

According to the report, about half of San Francisco residents live in multi-unit apartment buildings and smoking is currently banned in common areas of apartment complexes. Violation of the order would not be grounds for eviction. The order would be enforced by the Department of Public Health which would first issue warnings and provide education and resources for quitting smoking but could impose fines of $1,000 per day to repeat offenders.

At least 63 California cities and counties have adopted similar legislation over the past decade.

The board’s Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee voted last week to send the legislation to the full board for a vote, but it did not include a recommendation for approval.