Since this is a demo-cracy (seems we are still working on it), put it to a vote. But I can’t see why you want to ban medical cannabis, yet let folks blow a drug more addictive than heroin in kids’ faces in public places. These ciggie folks think crackheads are worse than they are, but many street drugs are easier to kick, and less dangerous, than nicotine. It’s time for nicotine smokers to admit they have problems and deal with them instead of complaining when sane folks do not want their second hand smoke. It’s as bad as throwing your used condom on somebody’s head. It may be harmless to them..it may not! One bar owner they interviewed in St Charles said she had more customers since she banned ciggies.

This is a tough one! If they leave it status quo, do they open the doors to future litigation? If they prohibit inside smoking, many (if not more!)smokers will drive east and patronize the St. Louis County and City establishments, much like what happened recently in Illinois (except that they drove West).

My recommendation is that each business owner should determine if he wants to permit smoking within his establishment. If so, he would post a sign so stating, advising patrons that they enter at their own risk. Other-minded business owners can prohibit smoking, and it’s entirely possible that their business will also thrive, attracting patrons who don’t wish to smell like a dirty ashtray.

Enough is enough, Why not let the business owners and the customers make their own call. Don’t we have enough for our own good laws?
Where are they getting their statistics that businesses have not suffered, bars are closing down right and left in Illinois.
You have the right to go where you want, you don’t like smoking joints, don’t go in!
I own a bar and restaurant and we have a seperate enterance and dining areas for non smokers but guess what, the smokers pay the bills!

Why cant you have smoking and non smoking establishments?

Just put up a sign and say we allow or we dont allow smoking here. That gives everyone the choice to go there or to go someplace else.

Then you wont have to worry about your kids, your allergies, whatever. But at the same time smokers can have a place of their own still.

There has to be a way to make everyone happy.
I think this would work.

Whether a business allows smoking is for them and their customers to decide. Residents of St. Charles didn’t elect the council to be our mommies.

I agree with government not babysitting. A business should put a sign on the door that says “Smoking allowed” or “Smoking Banned” and customers can make up their own mind as to whether or not they wish to patronize the business. I don’t believe the government should be forcing business owners to cater to a certain demographic. While most resteraunts will probably find that their business remains somewhat stable, many bars will not. I’m sick of hearing people say “I have the right to breathe clean air”. You also have the right to not enter the building. But at the very least, this is a subject that should be put to the vote of the people that live in the area, not by a bunch of council members who will probably demand some kickbacks from a few bars in the area to swing the vote their way.

As long as were banning everything that is offensive…. isn’t drinking bad for non-drinkers? Drinking in public is certainly bad for the public. People go to bars, get drunk, drive home, and kill other people. Why don’t the babysitting dummy council members ban drinking at bars, restaraunts, and other public places? Probably because their city gets a ton of money in revenue from liquor licenses and other various fees associated with opening a bar or restaraunt. If the City Council got tax money from cigarettes sold in bar vending machines, this would never even cross their minds.

Our elected officials at every level are doing nothing more than restricting our freedoms and taking our money. We should call this the United States of China.

Let the free market decide. There is no good health argument for allowing alcohol consumption while bannning smoking. I believe we face a greater helth risk from drunk driving than from second hand smoke. Plus, we can at least choose to go to a restaurant that allows smoking. We can’t avoid the drunk driver.

Holy Moly that would be a great idea.If you can’t eat peanuts at the ballgame why not ban smoking?To breath in that horrible smell of cigarettes is the worst thing a human can do for it’s health.UGH!!!Get rid of smoking in St.Charles,Mo one of the greatest places to live in Missouri.

momama, please let us know what restaurants and bars you will be purching in St. Charles when it implements the smoking ban (it’ll eventually happen someday). Because there will be many owners putting them up for sale due to declining business. When there is no more smoking allowed in St. Charles, please momama, save these owners from frustration and undertake the worthy cause of owning healthy smoke-free restaurants and bars. I’m sure you will do very well.

RCJ, interestingly enough, there are health benefits to moderate alcohol consumption including reduced risk of heart disease, gallstones, and even diabetes. The risks to alcohol you refer to are real risks, but aren’t solved by banning the consumption of alcohol on a premises since people who are motivated will only drive further to find alcohol, increasing their time on the road and the chance of an accident.

As far as the smoking ban is concerned, I agree with many of the comments here that the free market should decide. Let restaurant and bar owners decide for themselves if it makes business sense to ban smoking.