Project Updates
Smoking in Outdoor Dining in the City of San Diego Exposes Patrons and Employees to Toxic Second- and Thirdhand Smoke; Majority of Residents and Restaurant Industry Professionals Surveyed Support a Smokefree Outdoor Dining Policy
The City of San Diego is the largest city in San Diego County without a comprehensive smokefree outdoor dining policy, leaving residents and employees exposed to second- and thirdhand smoke. A new report from the Policy Research Center for Tobacco and the Environment documents that residents and restaurant professionals surveyed support a comprehensive smokefree policy for the city, and levels of toxic tobacco smoke residue at San Diego restaurants with outdoor smoking sections were more likely to be at levels of concern*. The report also contains a review of best practices for smokefree outdoor dining policies, based on a review of ordinances in San Diego County.
Click here to read the report today.
Background
Tobacco smoke residue, also known as “thirdhand smoke,” is the toxic chemical residue that is left behind on surfaces and in porous materials long after smoking occurs. It contains over 25 chemicals listed in California’s Proposition 65, known to cause cancer or reproductive harm. The residue sticks to surfaces, embeds in materials, and gathers in house dust. The chemicals linger for years after smoking stops and can re-emit from contaminated surfaces into the air. In a restaurant setting, this pollution poses health risks to patrons and employees.
Key Findings
Outdoor dining patios represent a gap in protection from second- and thirdhand smoke for restaurant patrons and employees. The City of San Diego currently does not have a comprehensive smokefree outdoor dining policy. Advocacy for smokefree outdoor dining in the city has led to a partial policy in which restaurant patios that are part of the Spaces and Places program must be smokefree, and others may choose to do so voluntarily.
Overall, residents surveyed reported they would avoid eating near smoking and would support a smokefree outdoor dining policy. Results from a survey of 1,793 California residents showed nearly 3 out of 4 would not eat a meal in an outdoor dining area if people in that area were smoking. Out of 275 San Diego residents, 73% would not eat a meal in an outdoor dining area if people in that area were smoking. 78% of those San Diegans surveyed would support a law banning smoking in outdoor dining areas in the City of San Diego, including 53% of San Diegans who use tobacco products.
San Diego restaurant owners and employees interviewed also prefer to eat in smokefree environments, with 88% preferring to eat in outdoor dining patios that were smokefree. There was majority support for a smokefree outdoor dining policy, with 63% supporting a smokefree outdoor dining policy for restaurants in the City of San Diego and 100% agreement that a smokefree outdoor dining policy would not negatively affect restaurants in San Diego, in general. Restaurant professionals interviewed described a variety of benefits and barriers to going smokefree, with a majority of those at restaurants with an outdoor smoking section reporting that they would not be willing or able to implement and enforce a voluntary smokefree patio but would need a city-wide policy to go smokefree. Many also reported that their restaurant would be negatively impacted only in the short term, if at all. Long term, they would expect to return to business as usual, citing how the restaurant industry successfully adapted to indoor smoking bans.
In 2023, thirdhand smoke levels were compared between restaurants with a community reputation of allowing smoking and restaurants that had confirmed smokefree patios. The results from these tests showed that a table tested in each of the restaurant patios with confirmed smoking had 13x higher levels of nicotine on it than those tested in smokefree locations. In 2024, thirdhand smoke levels were compared between restaurants that agreed to allow smoking and vaping when asked over the phone and those that said no. Tobacco smoke residue was detected on patio tables at levels of concern* in 40% of restaurants that banned smoking and 60% of restaurants that allowed smoking.
Smokefree outdoor dining policies in other jurisdictions have done the important work of bridging the gap in protection left by smoking bans and smokefree workplace protections that focus on indoor smoking. Closing this gap in protection by prohibiting smoking in all outdoor dining spaces in the City of San Diego would benefit the health of patrons and employees.
*“Levels of concern” refers to detectable levels of nicotine above background levels expected to be found in a non-smoking environment.
We completed data analysis of the flash poll.
- Of the 1,793 California adults surveyed…
- Participants ranged from 18 to 79 years old.
- Participants lived in 47 different counties and 327 different cities.
- 275 participants lived in San Diego County.
We are working on describing the flash poll results.
We completed a flash poll of 1,793 Californians.
- We asked about:
- Their personal experiences and preferences regarding smokefree outdoor dining.
- Their opinions on a law that would prohibit smoking in outdoor dining in the City of San Diego.
- Their demographics and smoking and vaping behaviors.
We have started data analysis of the flash poll, and we have begun interviewing restaurant staff.
We identified all of the restaurants in the City of San Diego.
- We took a random sample of 300 of these restaurants.
- We called the 300 restaurants to see if they had outdoor dining.
- We asked the 171 restaurants who had outdoor dining if people can smoke or vape on the patio. 61 of them did.
Everyone deserves to eat out in a clean environment, but currently not all outdoor dining areas in San Diego are smokefree. The Policy Center wants to show policymakers why a citywide smokefree outdoor dining policy can protect restaurant workers and patrons.
We are conducting four Rapid Response Projects to answer these questions:
1. Does the City of San Diego support a smokefree outdoor dining policy?
We are conducting a flash poll of San Diego residents.
2. How do stakeholders feel about a citywide smokefree outdoor dining policy?
We are interviewing restaurant owners and workers, hospitality employees, and City Council members.
3. Are restaurant workers and patrons exposed to second- and thirdhand smoke?
We are collecting surface, air, and hand samples at restaurants in the City of San Diego.
4. Are there other successful smokefree outdoor dining policies in San Diego County?
We are reviewing existing policies in other cities in San Diego County, and we will interview representatives from city governments, the County Board of Supervisors, and selected CTCP-funded programs.
Deliverables:
- An infographic of flash poll and interview results
- A brief report summarizing the results of environmental sampling
- Presentations for community and advocacy organizations seeking a broad public smoking ban in San Diego
- A locally-adapted model policy based on Public Health Law Center model language and the survey results