Auburn Update
Auburn Smoking Ban: Sooner or Later?
August 15, 2006
Tuesday night, the Auburn City Council could move up the cities smoking ban in restaurants and bars, to November 15th, of this year.
Originally, the ban was supposed to go into affect in August of 2007.
Like many smokers, Linda Strobel likes to have a cigarette, after her meal. The thought of not being able to light up, inside any public building, including restaurants and bars, angers her.
“It’s America, and I should be able to smoke when I feel like it,” Strobel said.
Smoking inside public buildings will be banned by August of 2007.
Charlie Duggan, Auburns City Manger, said the issue at Tuesday’s city council meeting, is weather or not to move that ban up by nine months, to November 15th of this year.
“I’m not a smoker myself, but I can understand that smokers want to have rights too, but they will be able to go outside and smoke, the big idea here is we are trying to protect people from second hand smoking,” said Duggan.
Some business owners, especially bar owners are concerned the ordnance could affect sales. They understand the ban is a done deal, however there are still time for the city council to make amendments. Many want bars to be excluded, like the ban in Opelika. If not, business owners say, all bars need to be included.
“We are looking for a level playing field, there are other bars and restaurants on the other side of town don’t have to follow the rule cause they are not in the city limits. We might loose a little business because of that, hopefully not too much,” said Dax Kerley, Manager at Touchdowns.
Stroble understands the ban will happen, sooner or later.
When it does, she’ll obey the law…but not necessarily respect it.
“I just probably won’t come in here, I’ll go buy take-out and smoke my cigarette and eat my meal outside,” she said.
Smokers can still go outside and light up. However, just how far away they need to be from the building, is another issue the city council must decide. As it reads now, the ordinance would require smokers to stand at least 10 feet away from an open door or window.
