Beaumont Bans Smoking in Public Places
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
The votes are in and smoking is out. On Tuesday, the Beaumont City Council voted to ban smoking in public places.
The votes of four council members tipped the decision in favor of the total ban. Mayor Guy Goodson and Mayor Pro Tem Audwin Samuel lost their bids for a partial-ban. The total ban means no smoking in public places such as restaurants, bars and workplaces. Also, one cannot smoke within 25 feet of the main public entrance to any venue in which the ban applies.
The ban does not focus solely on bars since the ordinance applies to all public work-places.
Christyn Killian works as a hairstylist at Regis Salons in Parkdale Mall five days a week, and will take about the same number of smoke breaks a day.
When the non-smoking ordinance takes effect, Killian will have to walk further than she normally does for a smoke, about 25 feet further from the door. But she says that is okay. “It’s second-hand smoke, and people who don`t smoke, they don`t appreciate it,” said Killian, “and I understand that.”
But not everyone is so understanding of the ordinance that some believe would remove the relaxation out of places designed to relax, especially some bar-goers.
“It’s a choice,” said Tonjia Chandler of Beaumont, “you have a choice whether to come in here, you know people are gonna smoke and what have you, so that`s your choice.”
The West Bar and Grill said that about 85% of their clientele are smokers, and it worries that some of them may stay away, at least temporarily, when smoking in public places becomes illegal
Owner of The West, Allen Peltier, said that he has been researching the effect of bars in cities that already have similar ordinances. “The way it sounds is that [business] takes a little dive for a while, and people [eventually] come back,” he said. “They`re gonna adapt.”
But if patrons do not adapt, The West said that it is looking into the possibility of becoming a private organization. Until that decision is made, however, they must be ready for the day that indoor smoking moves out-doors.
The so-called total ban comes with several exceptions--private residences, for example, are exempt.
It has been recommended by the city manager that August 1st should be the first day that the ordinance takes effect.
private residences eh?
I guess I should feel grateful that I can smoke in my own home ...
