People smoke cannabis on the street in Toronto. Health authorities wonder why smoking cannabis isn’t routinely recognized as a risk to the lungs and heart, the same as smoking tobacco. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)
Don’t allow indoor cannabis smoking at cafes
Secondhand smoke doesn’t just linger in the air; it kills 41,000 people in the U.S. every year, with 4,000 of those deaths happening right here in California.
That’s why it’s imperative that Gov. Gavin Newsom veto Assembly Bill 1775. It would allow California cannabis retailers to prepare and serve food and beverages indoors, which would undermine decades of progress in protecting Californians from the dangers of secondhand smoke. The proposed amendments, such as posting warning signs and issuing masks to employees, only highlight the risks.
The American Heart Association supports California’s smoke-free laws that have saved lives. We should strengthen these protections, not weaken them by reintroducing indoor smoking. Signing AB 1775 into law would prioritize profits over public health, and I don’t think that’s a message our state should send. We must protect both worker safety and public health by keeping smoke — be it from cannabis or tobacco — off the menu in San Diego cafes.
— Sharon Smith, Spring Valley