Chamblee, Ga. Passes Nearly Complete Smoking Ban

If you’re looking for a place to light up in public in Chamblee, Ga., good luck, as on Tuesday the city council passed a near total ban on smoking and the use of e-cigarettes within city limits.

To do this, an ordinance was crafted that prohibits smoking within 50 feet of any public area in the Atlanta suburb, which includes workplaces, restaurants and bars, city parks, as well as outdoor seating spaces and beyond. It also bans smoking in multi-family residences, such as apartments and condominiums, though owners of single-family, detached homes

The ordinance does contain several exemptions, however, including retail tobacco stores, hookah bars and lounges, adult entertainment establishments, designated smoking rooms at hotels and motels and outdoor areas of places of employment, except where the owner or employer declares that the outdoor area is a smoke free environment. There is also a provision for parking lots, provided they are outside of the 50 foot buffer.

Violators of the ban will be subject to a $50 fine that escalates to $75 for a second offense and $100 for a third offense.

Chamblee is located approximately 15 miles northeast of downtown Atlanta, a city that also just passed a strict smoking ban. It is home to approximately 30,000 residents.