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County smoking ban may tighten up
5/21/2008 12:07 AM   2 comment(s) on this story E-mail this story to a friend



By HALEY HUGHES Staff writer

An Aiken County Council committee has been asked to tighten the smoking ban ordinance Council as a whole passed last year.

The ordinance prohibits smoking in enclosed spaces including restaurants and shopping malls. However, smoking is allowed in "private rooms in restaurants and bars if such rooms are enclosed and have an air handling system independent (from the main one) ..."

Councilman Chuck Smith, who led the charge for the initial ban, wants to change that.

"We protected most of the workplace," Smith said Tuesday. "But that still doesn't protect the workforce that has to work in those places. This brings to point the protection of all workers. I am going to ask that the Judicial and Public Safety Committee relook at that issue."

County Council approved the ban last year in a 5-4 vote with Council members Kathy Rawls, Charles Barton, Gary Bunker and Chairman Ronnie Young dissenting.

In light of the City of Aiken and the City of North Augusta discussing similar smoking bans, Smith said he wants the municipalities on the same page. The City of Aiken's proposed ban would allow smoking in private clubs that have no employees.

Rawls said while she has never been a smoker, she wonders if "the government needs to be regulating everything it's regulating."

The cities of Aiken and North Augusta are among others that have taken up consideration of smoking bans after the state Supreme Court upheld Greenville's ban in a decision earlier this year.

"The Supreme Court said cities do have a right to protect its citizens," Smith said.

He added that he respects a person's right to smoke but doesn't respect the right for smokers to subject other people to their habit.

In other business Tuesday, Council:

4 Approved on third reading an ordinance relating to the random drug testing of "safety sensitive" employees;

4 Approved a resolution to accept a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency for the assessment of areas in Graniteville; and

4 Heard first reading of an ordinance to create a residential rural commercial (RRC) zoning district.





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  2 comment(s) on this story

Smoking Ban :  5/21/2008

I live in Ohio where they've had a smoking ban for over a year. At first there was some wining about smokers rights and talk of economic disaster for bars and resturants but it hasn't happened. The minority shouldn't impact the health of the majority with this sad habit. It's great to walk into a bar, resturant, ball park or bowling alley without having to wade through a cloud of foul smelling smoke. The Ohio ban includes outdoor sports venues too.

Jim

Smoking Ban :  5/21/2008

After five months, quite a few smaller bars here in Chicago are ignoring the ban to keep their customers. With warmer weather approacing, the cops are getting frustrated with the increasing large groups of people gathering outside the larger bars (kids, panhandlers, and others who, for whatever reason, cannot go inside) mingling with smoking bar patrons. They would prefer that bar patrons stay inside.

Bob
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