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Oakland City Council Votes to Prohibit Smoking in Multi-Unit Housing but Exempts Smoking Cannabis

December 3, 2024

OAKLAND, Calif. – Today, the Oakland City Council passed a smoke-free ordinance to prohibit smoking in multi-unit housing and bar patios; however, it exempts smoking cannabis in multi-unit housing.

The following is a statement from Jen Grand-Lejano, government relations director for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) in Northern California:

“While we thank city councilmembers for taking this significant step towards protecting public health, we are disappointed at their decision to exempt smoking cannabis in multi-unit housing from an ordinance aiming to protect Oakland residents from the dangers of secondhand smoke.

“There’s no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke, even outdoors. Secondhand tobacco smoke can cause serious diseases like cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Secondhand cannabis smoke has many of the same carcinogens and toxic chemicals as secondhand tobacco smoke.

“Exempting cannabis smoke violates Proposition 64, which prohibits smoking cannabis wherever smoking tobacco is prohibited. Additionally, it undermines smoke-free policies and compromises their enforcement.

“Smoke-free policies are crucial for improving our communities’ health, as they make smoking less socially acceptable and help prevent people – especially youth – from starting to smoke while supporting those trying to quit.

“We urge other cities and counties to pass and uphold comprehensive smoke-free laws that ensure everyone can work, learn and play without being exposed to the health risks posed by secondhand smoke, including from cannabis.”

Free tobacco cessation resources can be found at KeepItSacred.org (for American Indian and Alaska Native populations), Amplify.Love (for Black communities),  KickItCA.org (in English and Spanish) and AsianSmokersQuitline.org (in Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean and Vietnamese).

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