Tougher Smoking Laws OKd

In a move already adopted by county government, the San Diego City Council voted unanimously Monday to strengthen the city’s smoking regulations in restaurants and the workplace.

Under the new regulations, smoking in shared work areas will be prohibited. The new rules also call for employers to post signs at all entrances to public places and work areas that read: “No smoking except in designated areas.”

Restaurants, but not bars, will be affected by the new regulations. Under the old law, restaurants had to provide enough space for nonsmokers to meet customer demand. The old law also provided exemptions for restaurants of 20 seats or less.

There will no longer be any exemptions under the new law, which says restaurants:

* May designate 50% of the dining area as smoke-free. Not more than half, however, can be designated as a smoking area.

* Must situate nonsmoking areas so that nonsmokers don’t have to walk through smoke-filled areas “unless that is not possible due to design considerations.”