Yes you read that right.  Congratulations, Calabasas CA.  Your smoking ban is worse then ours.

Granted a ban for a city with a population of 30k is hardly on the same level of impact as our state wide ban, but at least ours hasn't crossed the line into residences.

Snuff Out Those Cigarettes in Calabasas

Life will be a drag for smokers in the city of Calabasas starting today, when a strict ban on lighting up in most outdoor spaces takes effect.

The ban, perhaps the most comprehensive smoking ban in the United States, prohibits smoking in all public places at times when other people can be exposed to secondhand smoke. Businesses can apply to create a designated smoking area far away from non-smokers starting in April.

The "Comprehensive Secondhand Smoke Control Ordinance" includes indoor and outdoor businesses, hotels, parks, sidewalks, restaurants and bars where people can be reasonably expected to congregate or meet, according to an announcement from the city of Calabasas.

Sounds much like ours.   But read on with me.

The "Comprehensive Secondhand Smoke Control Ordinance" includes indoor and outdoor businesses, hotels, parks, sidewalks, restaurants and bars where people can be reasonably expected to congregate or meet, according to an announcement from the city of Calabasas.

So would that include a sidewalk in a residential area, say in front of your home? 

People will still be allowed to smoke in their homes.

Oh well, how kind.  But wait....will they? Read the exception.

"The only exception is if your apartment, back yard or balcony is directly adjacent to a common area, such as a laundry room or pool," the city announced in a list of frequently asked questions on its Web site.

Adjacent to the laundry room?  Well WTH does that mean?

ad·ja·cent    ( P )  Pronunciation Key  (-jsnt)

adj.

Close to; lying near

Next to; adjoining

So how close is adjacent?  How close to the pool is too close?  What if your kitchen window is within 20 feet of the sidewalk out front?

Obviously there is a lot of room in that language for interpretation in all kinds of ways. The fun part is this:

Smokers who can't or won't kick the habit can still light up in public as long as they are "at least 20 feet away from any path of travel, doorway or place where people congregate."

If someone complains, the smoker will have to extinguish the cigarette or move, according to the ordinance. 

So lets say Bob is minding his own business, on a lonely stretch of sidewalk, 30 feet from everything.  If I walk up with my friend Steve, and we say "we are congregating here, you have to go" well it appears the law supports me.  Bob has to snuff or walk.  And we can follow him around all day long.

Many people complain about the Conservatives who are forcing us into fascism, but it seems to me this liberal Smoking Nazi law is a bit more to the point.

OK, being serious, I am sure I am just being alarmist here.  No one would really follow someone around and harass them into not smoking, or force them not to light up because their condo is next to the pool.....would they? 

Sigh.  Stupid people, stupid laws.

(more on the smoking ban:  here )