Smoke-free Sonoma County

• Smoke-free Sonoma County Homepage
• Does This Ordinance Apply to Me?
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Compliance Information
• Quit Smoking Resources
• Overview and Background
• Free Toolkits
• Link to This Website

Breathe Easy!

This information applies to affected areas under County jurisdiction - does not apply to areas within the boundaries of local cities.

• Outdoors
• While Waiting in Line
• In the Park
• While Dining Outdoors

Breathe Easy...Outdoors

Smoking is not allowed at public events such as fairs, festivals, parades, farmers markets, and concerts.

Breathe Easy...While Waiting in Line

Smoking is not allowed in service areas such as bus stops, ATM lines, or ticket lines.

Breathe Easy...In the Park

Smoking is not allowed in County parks or recreational areas such as picnic areas, playgrounds, paths, trails, and beaches.

Breathe Easy...While Dining Outdoors

Starting June 1, 2012, smoking is not allowed in outdoor dining and drinking areas.

Does This Ordinance Apply to Me?

Is your business, multi-unit residence, or event located within the unincorporated area of Sonoma County? You can find out by using the District and Elected Official Lookup tool on the County of Sonoma Registrar of Voters website:

District and Elected Official Lookup

1. Select your city from the "City Name" dropdown field, click "Continue."
2. Select your street name from the "Street Name" dropdown field, enter your street number.
3. Click "Find District."

In the search results "District" information, the sixth bullet listed will indicate whether the address you entered is in the "unincorporated area" or within a city limit.

• If the address is in the "unincorporated area" - the new ordinance applies.
• If you are within a city limit, you can learn more about smoking regulations that apply to you by visiting our State and Local Smoking Regulations webpage and selecting the "Local Smoking Regulations" link for your city.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

FAQ: Sonoma County Smoking and Secondhand Smoke Ordinance (pdf)

FAQs for Business Owners (pdf)

FAQ for Landlords, Managers and Residents of Multi-Unit Housing (pdf)

Compliance Information

Laws regulating smoking are largely self-enforcing. Reports from cities and counties, including those in Sonoma County, show proper signage and public education are effective in implementing smoke-free ordinances. To comply with the new ordinance:

Posting signage is required.

Clearly, sufficiently and conspicuously post "No smoking" signs or the international "no smoking" symbol (consisting of a pictorial representation of a burning cigarette enclosed in a red circle with a red bar across it) in every building, including points of ingress, where smoking is prohibited.

For multi-unit residences: clearly, sufficiently and conspicuously post and maintain "No smoking" signs or the international "no smoking" symbol (consisting of a pictorial representation of a burning cigarette enclosed in a red circle with a red bar across it) at every building and unenclosed area where smoking is prohibited. You do not need to post signs on individual units.

Downloadable signs for business owners, landlords, and the residents.

Do not knowingly permit smoking in those places where smoking is prohibited.

A person who owns, manages, operates, or otherwise controls the use of any place where smoking is prohibited knowingly or intentionally acts if he or she has not taken the following actions to prevent smoking by another person: (1) requested that a person who is smoking refrain from smoking; and (2) requested that a person who is smoking leave the place if the person refuses to stop smoking after being asked to stop. This does not require physically ejecting a person from a place or taking steps to prevent smoking under circumstances that would involve risk of physical harm. Any owner, manager, operator or employer of any establishments covered in the ordinance has the responsibility to inform any apparent violator about any smoking restrictions on the premises.

Do not knowingly permit the presence of ash trays, ash cans, or other receptacles designed for or primarily used for disposal of smoking waste within non-smoking areas.

Quit Smoking Resources

Research shows that 80 percent of all smokers would like to quit and that smoke-free public places provide a more supportive environment. Information about cessation programs (to quit smoking) is available by calling the California Smoker's Helpline at 1-800-NO-BUTTS or visiting www.californiasmokershelpline.org. FREE nicotine replacement patches are available to low-income Sonoma County residents who call the Smoker's Helpline between now and December 31, 2011.

Content provided by the Tobacco Education Program of the Sonoma County Department of Health Services. If you'd like more information, please complete our online "Ask the Tobacco Education Coordinator" form or contact our office at (707) 565-6680.