The Sacramento City Council is scheduled to debate the idea of banning smoking in outdoor dining areas. That restriction is already in place in four cities in San Diego County.
Smoking in restaurant and bar patios is prohibited in Solana Beach, Del Mar, El Cajon and Coronado.
Seventy-three cities in California have similar bans in place.
Thomas Novotny, a professor in San Diego State’s Graduate School of Public Health, said restricting smoking in outdoor areas is a smart move.
“All the outdoor dining areas are populated with smokers," Novotny said. "And so now I think it’s just evolving, so that people understand the need to restrict smoking in those areas as well.”
Opponents to Sacramento’s proposed ban say it could be bad for business.
But Novotny said studies have shown revenue in restaurants and bars that prohibit outdoor smoking has actually gone up.
