St. Louis smoking ban continues to move ahead — maybe
ST. LOUIS — As Congress approves unprecedented tobacco regulation legislation, lawmakers at St. Louis City Hall are still working on their smoking ban proposal.
Hearings set for this week were canceled — Mayor Francis Slay says it was because the measure does not have enough support, but sponsor Lyda Krewson suggests that’s not the case.
“This a big issue,” Krewson said today. “We need time.”
Krewson’s expects the bill to get a hearing later this month. Her proposal would ban indoor smoking at almost all businesses in the city, including bars and restaurants. However, it would only go into effect when St. Louis County passes a similar prohibition — which is far from a sure thing.
Outside of Krewson and her co-sponsors, there does not seem to be much urgency from aldermen to bring this measure to the full board.
And who can blame them?
With the vote, aldermen are bound to offend either ward tavern owners or lung-conscious constituents. It’s little wonder that the contentious issue, so far, has been beset by delays.
Let me see if I have this right, ‘We don’t want to bring it to a vote because we’re afraid we’re going to make some voters mad, and if we pass it, it will only go into effect if someone else has the guts to do it first’ Truly courageous leaders we have running this city. Pathetic!
I echo Scott’s comments. I cannot understand why the City of St Louis cannot act on this unless St Louis County passes the measure. The arguement about losing business to the county is NOT a reason for this bill to not be considered. Many other cities across the nation have passed similiar bills, To the leadership of this fine city- For once do something progressive and pass this bill.
Give away millions of dollars to finance sports teams’ new digs? No problem.
Prohibit city employees from living where their kids can go to a decent school? That’s fine with us.
Ban smoking indoors even though there’s no concrete evidence from any other locale that bars and restaurants will lose revenue? Woah…I could lose votes over this.
Remember a polotician’s number one rule:
There is no risk in doing nothing!
A state like North Carolina, one of the leading growers of tobacco, has banned smoking in public places yet St. Louis and MO drag their feet. Typical backward mentality. Do these people realize that the MAJORITY of people DO NOT SMOKE?
Memo to the alderman:
Do your best. Do what you think is right. If you get voted out because you made a tough decision, then you get voted out with a clean conscience and you can hold your head up high. (That goes for you too, Mr. Mayor)
Ok, there are a few sides to this. First, let me say I am a non-smoker. I like smoke-free restaurants. Columbia, MO and Ballwin both are smoke free and I enjoy eating and drinking there. I know many restaurant and bar owners and they have not seen a decline in their businesses. Now, the converse though, they wish the govt. would spend more time on bigger problems than smoking. There are worse pollutants in the air. Second hand smoke is bad, but everyone has the option of not eating at a restaurant that allows it. It’s a sign of too much govt. regulation. So, I’m torn for personal reasons on this issue.
I can say as a long term smoker that I can’t hide my elation. I think that there is so much more to be concerned with than smoking. If you read the news every day, I am sure that you have seen how many people have been injured and even killed by drunk drivers. I am also sure that no one will ever tackle that situation again. For myself and my circle of friends, we do not patronize businesses that are smoke free. I have read many articles concerning revenue loss of businesses when they proceed to smoke free. I don’t just read the blogs, I check out the websites referenced. Why don’t you all put that energy to much more important concerns.
Plus if you ban smoking in the bars how will you be able to pick out the easy chickas?
To me it’s not a matter of rights or civil liberties…it’s a matter of money. Most states have already spent the money that was legally extorted from the tobacco companies…we have to pay for children’s clinic’s..we have to pay for courts, libraries, any building…state taxes…federal taxes…why?? Since the non-smokers are the ones wanting the world to be smake free…LET THEM PAY FOR IT! I don’t want to pay taxes..for anything…since I’m not afforded the same considerations as them. I pay enough taxes for the cigarettes that I smoke…