Irving moves closer to ban on smoking - restaurants foresee, warn council of economic hardship

The Dallas Morning News ^ | July 20, 2003 | By CONNIE PILOTO / The Dallas Morning News

[MeekOneGOP]

Irving moves closer to ban on smoking

07/20/2003

By CONNIE PILOTO / The Dallas Morning News

IRVING – Irving has taken another small step toward a ban on smoking in most public places.

The health board's recently approved final draft of the proposed ordinance will next go before the City Council's Community Services Committee.

The committee will review the ordinance before forwarding it to the City Council for action. The date of the committee's review had not been set by Friday.

Under the proposal finalized by the health board Thursday, smoking would be outlawed in restaurants, grocery stores, malls, bowling alleys and bingo halls.

The health board and an ad hoc environmental committee began reviewing the proposal in March.

"We provided a pretty strong draft that is in line with our mission statement," said Dr. Jason Watkins, a health board member. "It's something that had to be done because there are some gaps in the current ordinance."

Restaurant owners have told the council that an all-out ban would be an economic hardship.

"The restrictions are so severe ... it's going to create a problem," said Carol Wood, owner of Joe's Coffee Shop and Steakhouse.

A version of this story appears in the Irving Morning News.

E-mail cpiloto@dallasnews.com

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Online at: http://www.dallasnews.com/localnews/stories/072003dnmetsmoking.483e4.html

[MeekOneGOP]

[Gabz]

IRVING – Irving has taken another small step toward a ban on smoking in most public places. ...........

.......Under the proposal finalized by the health board Thursday, smoking would be outlawed in restaurants, grocery stores, malls, bowling alleys and bingo halls.

When are these people going to get it through their thick skulls that private businesses that invite in the public are still PRIVATE and NOT public places.

If these busy body antis want non-smoking whatevers let them spend their own money and open one up.

[MeekOneGOP]

[razorback-bert]

Why didn't they ban fatty foods while they were at it?

[MeekOneGOP]

(whispers)
Shhhhh !! Don't give them any ideas.

[Madame Dufarge]

"It's something that had to be done because there are some gaps in the current ordinance."

Dr. Watkins is alarmed over some freedom seepage.

Quick, get the tourniquet.

[Gabz]

The idiocy of these smoking bans - infringing on private property rights - need to be SCREAMED from the hilltops EVERYWHERE..................

[Conspiracy Guy]

What's private property? These tiny fools with there tiny lives want to protect you from yourelf to the point that they will ultimately ban smoking in your home.

[Gabz]

Hush, Flurry - they already have that idea in their heads - don't encourage them!!!!!

[Conspiracy Guy]

Control Freaks are more fun in person. I'd love to have a 10 minute conversation with some of these clowns. I'd push all their buttons and have em in the pookey in no time.

[Just another Joe]

Under the proposal finalized by the health board Thursday, smoking would be outlawed in restaurants, grocery stores, malls, bowling alleys and bingo halls.

Is the health board concernec about my health personally, in particular? Or are they just concerned about something that hasn't been proven to be a hazard? (ETS)

Someone should remove all the health boards and let us be healthy adults.

[MeekOneGOP]

bttt