Aug 21, 2007 4:54 pm US/Central
Fort Worth Bans Smoking In Public
by Doug Dunbar
FORT WORTH (CBS 11 News) ―
It was a classic battle between those who feel they have every right to smoke and those who feel they have the right to not be affected by it.
"I am a non-smoker, and I do not want to smoke involuntarily by sitting in a restaurant and bar," said student Jenny Soderberg.
Tuesday, Fort Worth officially passed a new anti-smoking ordinance. The vote was 7 to 2 in favor of the new rule.
When the ban goes into effect on January 1, smoking will be banned in most public places, including restaurants.
Bars, bingo halls, outdoor restaurant patios and designated smoking rooms in hotels are exempt.
Before the official vote, dozens of people on both sides of the issue spoke passionately about the changes.
"We understand that smoking is bad for us, but we'd like to have an exemption for us as well," said Kevin Riley, a tobacco shop owner.
"They're gonna go other places to drink, and I can't afford to lose my business," said bar owner Nancy Sal.
Sal was one of roughly 50 people who showed up at city council chambers Tuesday to speak her mind before the vote.
The ordinance was very close to being an almost all encompassing ban. But City Manager Charles Boswell also voiced concerns about bar owners loosing business to other cities. That's when a compromise was reached.
In a press release issued by Smoke-Free Fort Worth, Cliff Parker, a member of the American Cancer Society board of directors for Tarrant County said:
"The new ordinance is inadequate to protect workers and leaves many exposed to serious health risks. Our city leaders appointed an ad hoc group last summer to examine the issue from every perspective. The ad hoc group's recommendations for a comprehensive smoke-free ordinance were ignored."Parker is also co-chair of Smoke-Free Fort Worth, a coalition of public health organizations and concerned citizens.
The decision to go smoke free in most public places in Fort Worth saw 18 months of debate, and some still wonder just how enforceable it will be.
"We're wasting money, and we're wasting time by creating a law enforcement nightmare with a ban like this," said Perry Tong, owner of Pop's Safari. "We can't stop marijuana smoking; how can we stop tobacco smoking?"
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(CBS 11 News)
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