If the mayors of Clayton, Creve Coeur, Olivette, Overland and University City get their way, St. Louis County would ban smoking in public places.
The five adjacent cities in St. Louis County are giving it a go again even though a similar proposal failed 3 years ago.
The St. Louis Post Dispatch reported today that:
The council rejected a ban three years ago. Whether the new effort succeeds might depend on whether the city of St. Louis, St. Louis County and St. Charles County could enact a ban simultaneously. None of their leaders wants to go it alone and put their bars and restaurants at a disadvantage against competitors in a neighboring jurisdiction.
St. Louis County Executive Charlie A. Dooley opposed the last smoking ban ordinance. But he has “an open mind” about a ban if it covered St. Charles County and St. Louis as well as his county, Mac Scott, his spokesman, said Friday. Dooley prefers statewide action, Scott said.
St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay always has been against the city proceeding alone on a ban. In a statement Friday, he said he wished every restaurant in the city were smoke-free by its own choice. “With that said, I would support a national, statewide or city-county policy that restricted smoke in restaurants,” he said.
St. Charles County Executive Steve Ehlmann said he was unaware of any discussions about a simultaneous effort to ban smoking in public places.
The Post reports that St. Charles County leaders do not have the same ability to enact policies that affect the health of county residents. As a result, a ban on public smoking in St. Charles County might require a voter approved amendment.
Current St. Louis smoking bans:
Ballwin Smoking Ban:
Currently, the only municipality in the St. Louis area that bans smoking in all restaurants and bars is Ballwin. Ballwin also bans smoking in all workplaces including private clubs that have employees.
Arnold Smoking Ban:
Arnold has a more limited smoking ban. Smoking is banned in restaurants and restaurant-bars that seat 50 people or more unless they have a separately ventilated smoking room. Stand alone bars and restaurants that receive 70% or more of their revenue from alcohol sales are exempt.
I know a lot of people won’t agree with me on this one, but I’m not a smoker and hate being subjected to secondhand smoke when I go out to eat. I hope the ban passes.
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
The U.S. Surgeon General has stated, “the debate is over, the science is clear, there is no safe level of secondhand smoke.” Smoke-free laws aren’t against free choice but rather giving rights back to nonsmokers who have their right to breathe clean air taken from them. Smoke-free laws are simply asking smokers to step outside instead of harming those around them. In America, personal liberty has never been understood to allow one person’s behavior to damage or risk damage to another.
Regarding the “loss of business” argument:
Every independent economic impact study examining sales tax data has found no negative economic impact from secondhand smoke laws in communities across the country, and some have found an increase in business. The only studies showing economic losses have been conducted or paid for by the tobacco industry. Their studies are based on business owners’ perceptions rather than sales tax data. They typically emphasize anecdotal stories about how a restaurant or bar owner allegedly lost money after implementation of such a law. These anecdotal stories are neither supported by documented facts nor do they take other factors into consideration.
Ballwin, MO – enacted a 100% smoke-free policy on January 1, 2006.
Comparing 2006 sales tax data to the years 2004 and 2005 shows no significant change in restaurant related revenue as a whole. (City of Ballwin)
Tom Akin, economic development director in Ballwin, said life after the ban has remained status quo. After reviewing business license fees, which are based on gross receipts, two years prior to and one year following the ban, there was no dramatic difference in any business’s numbers. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 6/28/07)
Stacy,
Thanks for providing some solid facts to the discussion. So many people just make assumptions that restaurants and bars would lose customers if a smoking ban was enacted in their city but not in nearby municipalities.
I think that the fact that Ballwin businesses did not see a decrease in gross receipts disproves that argument. Ballwin is surrounded by nearby municipalities with plenty of restaurants and bars where people can smoke. If they wanted to, they could easily drive 10 more minutes to get outside of Ballwin city limits. Sounds like that isn’t what has been happening.
I have to agree with you on the second hand smoke issue…in restaurants…even as a smoker (soon to be EX-smoker) it’s thoroughly disgusting to smell smoke before, during or after a delicious meal.
Another PLUS for restaurant owners where the ban is passed is turnover… if it doesn’t affect their customer base, and a percentage of them are smokers, those people will want to be out of there soon after they eat so they can go light up. The restaurant will have tables free for the next patrons faster if people don’t loiter around and pollute the air.
)
It’s a win-win Karen…