Dallas Smoking Ban Gets More Support

2008-11-27 20:09:06 (GMT) (WiredPRNews.com - Dallas, News)

The Dallas City Council will soon vote on a smoking ban in bars, taverns, and pool halls. Much debate has surrounded the issue of whether it most concerns public health rights or the rights of business and property owners.

Wired PR News.com – The vote will come on December 10; however, as reported by the Dallas Observer, council members have been very vocal in publicly stating their opinions on the issue, which has led many to expect most to oppose the ban.

The current smoking ban was established in 2003 and includes a ban on smoking in restaurants, bingo halls, and most public buildings. Mayor Tom Leppert endorsed the ban expansion during his 2007 campaign.

Although a previous straw poll by five council members showed four out of five would vote for the ban, it now appears more will likely oppose it than originally thought. Council member Sheffie Kadane was quoted as stating, “I am not for breaking the law but there is no law against smoking.” Kandane further proposed that not allowing a business owner to have a separate room for smoking was “communistic.”

Council member Angela Hunt indicated she would vote for the ban extension by stating that she doesn’t care if smokers want to kill themselves, but they didn’t have the right to push the smoke down her lungs. Some Dallas businessmen pushed for opposition of the ban citing it would lead to a decline in their sales.