Possible Smoking Ban Debate Heats Up
Meeting Scheduled For Tuesday
POSTED: 5:22 pm EST November 15,
2004
UPDATED: 3:57 pm EST November 16,
2004
CINCINNATI -- A possible Cincinnati smoking ban has plenty of support, but business owners insist it's not going to be an easy ride to a smoke-free city.
In Hamilton County, there are at least 500 restaurants that are smoke-free. A local organization will talk with business owners Tuesday about their fears of going smoke-free.
The debate is heating up and some say it could soon ignite a local uproar among business owners and customers."Sometimes we run into people saying 'Can I smoke here?' and we say 'You can step outside' and they say they don't have a problem with it," said Max Monks, a restaurant owner.On the other hand, at the Sports Page downtown, owner Bill Paskal is quick to say that going smoke-free is too risky.
Discuss: Cincinnati Smoking Ban?
"I think that would hurt us," he said.He estimates a smoking ban would cut his profits by 50 percent, which is a common concern, shared by the owner of a Clifton coffee shop.In order to accommodate her customers, Lisa Storie only allows smoking after 3 p.m. at Sitwell's Coffee Shop. Before that, customers have to step outside."If I went non-smoking, I would lose my bread and butter ... unless everyone did it, too," she said.If all businesses went smoke-free, which is what the Cincinnati Clean Indoor Air Coalition wants, some see that as a different story.The meeting to discuss a possible smoking ban is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon. The coalition is anticipating about 40 business owners will attend.Stay tuned to WLWT and refresh ChannelCincinnati.com for additional information.More Information:
Hamilton County Smoke-Free Restaurants
Northern Kentucky Smoke-Free Restaurants
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Discuss: Cincinnati Smoking Ban?"I think that would hurt us," he said.He estimates a smoking ban would cut his profits by 50 percent, which is a common concern, shared by the owner of a Clifton coffee shop.In order to accommodate her customers, Lisa Storie only allows smoking after 3 p.m. at Sitwell's Coffee Shop. Before that, customers have to step outside."If I went non-smoking, I would lose my bread and butter ... unless everyone did it, too," she said.If all businesses went smoke-free, which is what the Cincinnati Clean Indoor Air Coalition wants, some see that as a different story.The meeting to discuss a possible smoking ban is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon. The coalition is anticipating about 40 business owners will attend.Stay tuned to WLWT and refresh ChannelCincinnati.com for additional information.More Information:
Hamilton County Smoke-Free RestaurantsNorthern Kentucky Smoke-Free RestaurantsCopyright 2008 by WLWT.com.
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