Spring Break
Council approves smoking ban
By: Teri Ruland
Issue date: 1/26/09 Section: News
The College Station City Council unanimously approved a citywide smoking ban to begin Feb. 1.
The ban prevents smoking in restaurants, bars and workplaces.
Members of the community vocalized their opinions at the public hearing Thursday as Mayor Ben White called on them to discuss the smoking ordinance.
Jess Fields, co-owner of Texas Avenue Cigars and a junior political science major at Texas A&M, said the ordinance will hurt businesses.
"America is a free society in which we are allowed to use persuasion, but not coercion," Fields said.
The ordinance, he said, will coerce businesses to place the priorities of the city over their own.
"Business owners work hard to make sure their business is stable and making money," Fields said.
Fields said he understood why smoking should not be allowed in restaurants, because children are often in those establishments; but adults were the only ones permitted in bars, where patrons smoke.
Dr. Mark Sicilio, a pediatrician who teaches at A&M, said just because children are not visible in all establishments does not mean they are not affected by smoking.
"There are 50 known carcinogens in tobacco smoke. Some women may not recognize they are pregnant," he said. "[Smoking or being around smoke] may cause birth defects and syndromes."
Sicilio said A&M was one of the first universities to outlaw smoking in classrooms and outdoor sports arenas. The response, he said, was overwhelmingly positive.
Mad Hatter's owner Daniel Brightwell said consumers would determine where to spend their money.
"The market would determine if smoking is bad. There would be a demand that smoking bars be shutdown," Brightwell said. "If you want to drink in a nonsmoking area, then there are restaurants that offer the same thing."
In the public hearing, Brightwell asked who would enforce the ordinance if it were passed. ,The fire marshals, White answered.
"[You're] forgetting about the minority who are smokers. Their population is high, but they are still a minority," Brightwell said.
Councilmen said public health was their primary reason for supporting the ordinance.
"We're not out to control you or close your businesses," said Councilman Dennis Maloney, an ex-smoker. "I'm a supporter of public health."
He said he would defend to the end an individual's right to smoke.
"Rights, as you think about it, cut both ways," said Councilman James Massey. "We're sworn to keep those rights and protect them as part of what we do every day. Your rights are yours until they affect me. If you want to put a virtual gun to your head, then by all means do it."
The ban prevents smoking in restaurants, bars and workplaces.
Members of the community vocalized their opinions at the public hearing Thursday as Mayor Ben White called on them to discuss the smoking ordinance.
Jess Fields, co-owner of Texas Avenue Cigars and a junior political science major at Texas A&M, said the ordinance will hurt businesses.
"America is a free society in which we are allowed to use persuasion, but not coercion," Fields said.
The ordinance, he said, will coerce businesses to place the priorities of the city over their own.
"Business owners work hard to make sure their business is stable and making money," Fields said.
Fields said he understood why smoking should not be allowed in restaurants, because children are often in those establishments; but adults were the only ones permitted in bars, where patrons smoke.
Dr. Mark Sicilio, a pediatrician who teaches at A&M, said just because children are not visible in all establishments does not mean they are not affected by smoking.
"There are 50 known carcinogens in tobacco smoke. Some women may not recognize they are pregnant," he said. "[Smoking or being around smoke] may cause birth defects and syndromes."
Sicilio said A&M was one of the first universities to outlaw smoking in classrooms and outdoor sports arenas. The response, he said, was overwhelmingly positive.
Mad Hatter's owner Daniel Brightwell said consumers would determine where to spend their money.
"The market would determine if smoking is bad. There would be a demand that smoking bars be shutdown," Brightwell said. "If you want to drink in a nonsmoking area, then there are restaurants that offer the same thing."
In the public hearing, Brightwell asked who would enforce the ordinance if it were passed. ,The fire marshals, White answered.
"[You're] forgetting about the minority who are smokers. Their population is high, but they are still a minority," Brightwell said.
Councilmen said public health was their primary reason for supporting the ordinance.
"We're not out to control you or close your businesses," said Councilman Dennis Maloney, an ex-smoker. "I'm a supporter of public health."
He said he would defend to the end an individual's right to smoke.
"Rights, as you think about it, cut both ways," said Councilman James Massey. "We're sworn to keep those rights and protect them as part of what we do every day. Your rights are yours until they affect me. If you want to put a virtual gun to your head, then by all means do it."
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