Jul 6, 2008

Smoking will be banned in children's area at county fair

By Neil Gonzales / Bay Area News Group

Local community college students have helped toughen up policies to restrict smoking at next month's San Mateo County Fair.

A group of students from Skyline College in San Bruno and College of San Mateo, known as the Smoke Free San Mateo County Advocates, worked with fair officials to prohibit smoking in the children's carnival area.

"Secondhand smoke is a health issue of great concern for everyone - from healthy students and staff to those who are pregnant or have health conditions such as asthma and migraines," said Alice Guan, co-president of the group at CSM. "This policy will help protect those who attend the fair, especially families and children, who are particularly susceptible to the dangers of secondhand smoke."

Signs will go up indicating the children's area is smoke free, said fair marketing and promotions coordinator Marie Franko. She noted that the area is "a pretty significant portion of the county fair," which runs Aug. 8-17.

Fair officials will also enforce an existing county ordinance prohibiting smoking within 30 feet of public buildings, Franko said.

"We're happy to be able to promote (a smoke-free) message any way we can," she added, praising the student group. "It's exciting to see people from that generation working to promote good causes in the community."

The group plans to continue working with fair organizers to create stronger anti-smoking policies. The group hopes for a fair that prohibits smoking on all fairgrounds with the exception of a few designated locations away from eating and children's areas.

The stricter policy at the fair is the latest feather in the group's hat. Recently, it successfully pushed the Pacific Coast Farmers' Market Association to make its 40-plus Bay Area events smoke free.