Now that city leaders have banned smoking on city property, they are considering doing the same at all businesses, including restaurants and bars.
Council mulls smoking ban
July 21, 2007
By MARGARET BAKER, SUN HERALD
By MARGARET BAKER, SUN HERALD
PASCAGOULA –Now that city leaders have banned smoking on city property, they are considering doing the same at all businesses, including restaurants and bars.
While Councilman Joe Abston said he supported the smoking ban, he told city officials Tuesday that they needed to do some more research before they make a final decision on the additional ban.
Earlier this month, the city imposed a smoking ban in or on all city property, including in city vehicles and at parks, playgrounds and other city-owned property.
The smoke ban currently affects mostly city employees and residents who go to city buildings or property, such as public parks, including Beach Park on Beach Boulevard.
The new ban could affect all residents, with tobacco use no longer allowed at restaurants, businesses and other public property.
Pascagoula police will issue misdemeanor tickets for smoking violations, and the city judge will be charged with imposing a fine, which hasn’t been set yet.
Abston spearheaded efforts to get the smoking ban on city property after hearing complaints from parents or others about people smoking near children at the parks.
The councilman said he’s talked to several people in places where smoking is no longer allowed at public facilities and believes it could be the right move for the city. He said he hasn’t heard of the ban running off a lot of customers.
Local restaurant owners aren’t surprised by the latest proposal, saying it’s happened or is happening in many cities and states.
Ocean Springs, for example, this year imposed a similar smoking ban. Still, Abston said, he’d like to get the public more involved in the debate before they just slapped the new on residents.
The city is expected to take up the issue again at their next meeting the first week in August.
Supervisors consider smoking ban
July 17, 2007
By VETO F. ROLEY
By VETO F. ROLEY
PASCAGOULA — Supervisors turned down a request to allow the Jackson County Parks and Recreation Department to establish no-smoking areas at the county’s recreational facilities.
The reason for the rejection of the ordinance to establish the no-smoking areas was not support for smokers, however, but a desire to include all county-owned properties in the ordinance, including the Courthouse.
Board attorney Paula Steinett-Yancy said the ordinance only applies to county-owned property under the control of the Parks and Recreational Department.
“I think this is a baby step,” said Supervisor Frank Leach, who said he would support a total ban of smoking on county-owned property. “We need to address this county-wide on all of our property.”
He said his father died of lung cancer brought on by smoking.
“You need to come back with an inclusive (no smoking) policy,” Supervisor Robert Norvel told Steinett-Yancy and Parks and Recreation director Jack Hamilton.
Supervisor Manly Barton said the intent of the rejected ordinance was to give Parks and Recreation officials the authority to ban smoking and tobacco use around youth games and events.
“We had specific complaints about people smoking in the stands during ballgames,” he said. “We wanted to control smoking around ballfields.”
Hamilton said that many youth leagues prohibit players, coaches and umpires from using any tobacco product. However, he said the county or leagues do not have the authority to prevent parents and spectators from using tobacco products at the games.
“People walk up to the dugouts smoking,” he said.
Not every board member supported a total ban of smoking on county-owned property.
“It’s a problem in the U.S.,” said Tim Broussard, president of the Board of Supervisors, who told Hamilton the vote against the proposal did not mean a smoking ban was a “dead issue.” “We are losing more and more of our rights. Smoking in the U.S. is not illegal.”
Broussard also said there are problems with outlawing smoking on all county-owned property. In the parks, he said, enforcing a ban could be problematic.
“We don’t want something we can’t enforce,” he said.
And, he said a ban on smoking on county-owned property could hurt county employees. He noted, for instance, there are two employees in the county attorney’s office who smoked.
“Are they going to have to get in their cars and leave county property to smoke?” asked Broussard.
However, Leach said a county-wide ban would have health benefits for the county.
“We need to look at the costs of health care,” he said. “We need to start doing some dramatic things to help people (stop smoking).”
If having to leave the property to smoke would cause employees to stop smoking, Leach said that would be a good thing.
Leach also said a smoking ban would help non-smokers. He said he was at a recent barbecue when someone lit up a cigarette. He said the smell from the cigarette forced him to leave the function.
“My mom and dad smoked in the car, and I never noticed it,” he said. “But, today, I can’t handle (cigarette smoke).”
Broussard warned a-gainst a far-reaching ordinance, saying that it could apply to a number of places people don’t think about.
“Any county-owned facilities would include the fairgrounds,” he said. “And, county recreational facilities include boat ramps.”
Currently, Pascagoula is the only city in Jackson County with a comprehensive smoking ban.
“Smoking is not allowed in any of our facilities,” said Pascagoula Mayor Matthew Avara, who was attending the Supervisor’s meeting for an economic development reason. He said the smoking ban included Pascagoula City Hall and the police station.
Reporter Veto F. Roley can be reached at vroley@themississippipress.com or (228) 934-1427.
