Smoke-Free Outdoor Dining and Other Areas

Smoke-Free Outdoor Dining

Smoke-free Outdoor Dining is Good for Business and Good for Health!

More than 180 cities and counties across California have passed ordinances for smoke-free outdoor dining, including Carlsbad, Coronado, Chula Vista, Del Mar, El Cajon, Encinitas, Escondido, Imperial Beach, La Mesa, National City, Oceanside, San Marcos, Solana Beach, Vista and the Unincorporated Areas of San Diego County.

Vista Community Clinic’s Tobacco Control Program is working to extend those protections to all our North County communities.

Smoking in outdoor dining areas not only exposes patrons and their families to secondhand smoke, but the employees working in these outdoor areas. There is no safe distance from cigarette smoke and it does not go away just because it is outside. Adults, children, pets and employees are all exposed to secondhand smoke on outdoor patios.

Several restaurant owners have adopted voluntary no-smoking policies, but cities can expand those protections to all. To see a list of restaurants with voluntary smoke-free policies, click here.

On June 28, 2022, Vista joined all other North County cities in adopting a policy prohibiting smoking and vaping on outdoor dining patios.

The ordinance took effect on July 29, 2022, but the City has allowed a grace period for businesses to fully implement and post required signage.

The North Coastal Prevention Coalition (NCPC), Vista Community Clinic (VCC), and youth advocates are pleased to help implement the policy and deliver signage and information to local businesses in September 2022.

Additional information can be found at the links below:

Other Smoke-free Outdoor Areas

Many other outdoor areas can be smoke-free, such as parks, sidewalks, golf courses, colleges, hospitals, healthcare campuses, public attractions, and worksites. These smoke-free policies provide protection to the general public, visitors, and workers.

All parks and beaches in San Diego County are 100% smoke-free. There are several other smoke-free places in North San Diego County like the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, Vista Wave Waterpark, Palomar College, Mira Costa College, California State University San Marcos, Tri-City Medical Center, Vista Community Clinic, and Palomar Hospital.

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