Thought about enjoying a cigar at work? Be careful about where you choose to light up. According to California Labor Code Section 6404.5, it is illegal to smoke in an enclosed space of employment. However, there are a couple exceptions. You are allowed to smoke in your office if it meets these conditions: the office you work in has less than five full or part time employees, there is a smoking area that doesn?t allow minors, the employees entering the smoking area consent to smoking, air from the smoking area is exhausted correctly, and the employer complies with all state and federal ventilation standards. There multiple other exceptions to smoking in the workplace, which can all be seen on the website below. What about smoking when you?re enjoying a stroll around your neighborhood? Make sure you aren?t within 25 feet of a playground, including facilities located on public or private grounds. Even if you aren?t smoking near a playground but walk past one and dispose of your tobacco products, you can get in trouble. As California has grown into one of the more progressive states, its laws on smoking have gotten tighter. Californians have an image of being sun-loving, health conscious beachgoers who spend time in farmer?s markets and yoga studios. Laws like these have upheld that image and continue to push California to be a healthy state. Tobacco laws affect many, whether positively or negatively. Whether you?re a cigar aficionado or straight up cigarette hater, it is good to know which tobacco laws can affect you. To all the smokers out there, read up! It wouldn?t be fun paying five times as much in fines as you did for that lovely new box of cigars you recently purchased. To stay up to date on California?s tobacco laws, check out this online PDF:?http://changelabsolutions.org/sites/default/files/documents/2012_CALawsBooklet_FINAL_20120515.pdf