Carbondale Update
Smoking ban in Carbondale to begin in 2008
April 5, 2007
By: Arnold Wyrick CARBONDALE, Ill. - After months of kicking around proposals to go smoke-free in Carbondale, city council members finally gave their stamp of approval. And now smokers will have to step outside to enjoy a smoke after their meal. The smoke-free ban goes into affect for all restaurants and bars that serve food on January 1st 2008. Then on July 1st, 2008, all other bar-owners will have to ask smokers to refrain from lighting up inside. "I understand why some people wouldn't like it. But, the majority of people obviously don't care that much about it. Because if they did then it wouldn't be economically profitable for restaurants to have a smoking section," says Doug Levesque of Carbondale. But the city leaders decision to snuff out smoking had nothing to do with economics, and more to do wit peoples health. "I think it will be nice to sit in a restaurant and not smell smoke. And it makes your food taste awful," says Annette Conder of Carbondale. Some business manager aren't overly concerned about how the no smoking ban will affect their sales. "It's not going to affect our business too much. It's not going to shut our doors. I do feel it's going to bring more people out who other wise may not have come out to eat," says Chris Stewart manager at Buffalo Wild Wings in Carbondale, Illinois. That's a choice that some people say at least they'll still get to make. "I think it should be freedom, who ever wants to smoke smoke," says Tina Neeley of Carbondale. But some customers tell Heartland News that once the smoking-light is shut off for good in Carbondale, they'll find some place else to eat, and smoke if they choose too. "I feel that if Carbondale enacts this ban, my reaction to that will be to continue my business in other towns all around the area. And I'll take all of my business out of Carbondale," says Dan Cheatum of Carbondale. Read
Should Carbondale BUTT OUT of smokers' business?
Students react to smoke-free ordinance 4/6/07
By Brandon Augsburg and Alicia Wade Even though the City Council imposed a smoking ban on Carbondale's bars and restaurants at Tuesday's meeting, grumbles about the issue have not been snuffed out. Some SIUC students believe a smoking ban is not the government's prerogative. The ban requires all restaurants with Class A liquor licenses to prohibit smoking after Jan. 1, 2008. All other liquor-licensed establishments, such as bars, have to ban smoking after July 1, 2008. Fraternal organizations, beer gardens, tobacco shops and other businesses that don't have liquor licenses are exempt from the regulation. Smokers must also be 15 feet away from the entrance of a building before they light their cigarettes. Adam Michels, a junior from Germantown studying law enforcement, is a smoker and said he usually smokes when he goes to bars and restaurants. Michels said the decision to go smoke-free should fall on the restaurant and bar owners and the government should not tell them what to do with their own establishments. Despite being a smoker himself, he said the ban is probably a good idea. "It's really not that bad of an idea," he said. "I smoke and I can't stand the smell of smoke in bars and stuff, and when you go home and your clothes smell like it." He said the ban wouldn't deter him from going to local bars and restaurants because he can go outside to have a smoke if he wants one. Adrianna Perfecto, a junior from Chicago studying psychology, is a non-smoker and said she goes to bars even though they can often be smoky. "That's the whole fun part about a bar, you know, you come home, your clothes smell like smoke," she said. "You know you had a successful night." Perfecto said bars should have the option of going smoke-free because people go there to relax, and having a drink and a cigarette is part of that. She said she agrees with a smoking ban in restaurants, however, because of health concerns and the presence of children. "I can see restaurants being smoke-free because that's a family environment," she said. "You're sitting down and eating, but you don't take a family to a bar." Perfecto said the smoking issue is purely a health issue and the government should stay out of it. Patrick Brennan, a freshman from Arlington Heights studying cinema, is a casual smoker and agreed with Perfecto that a ban is a good idea in restaurants, but said bars should have a choice. "I understand the restaurants where you go sit down and eat, but it's kind of harsh doing it to the bars," he said. He said he understood the concern for the health of patrons and employees, but didn't think the government should step in to impose bans on privately-owned businesses. Smoke-Free Carbondale continues to push ban 12/3/06
by jason lee, the southern CARBONDALE - The fuse is still lit on Smoke-Free Carbondale's push to ban smoking at all indoor public areas and workplaces in the city. Despite the Carbondale City Council's recent defeat of a proposed smoking ban ordinance, members of the anti-smoking coalition say they continue to educate the public about the dangers of secondhand smoke and will eventually urge the council to reconsider. Angie Bailey, director of health education for the Jackson County Health Department, said the group was "very excited" to see strong backing among those who attended the Nov. 21 council meeting. "The support outweighed the opposition at least three to two, so we didn't really lose," Bailey said. The proposal failed on a 3-3 vote, with one council member abstaining. Council members Sheila Simon, Joel Fritzler and Corene McDaniel voted in favor, while Mayor Brad Cole and council members Lance Jack and Chris Wissmann opposed the measure. Councilman Steven Haynes abstained from voting. Mary Pohlmann, chairwoman of Smoke-Free Carbondale, said the ordinance's narrow defeat proved that there's still work to be done. "We see an undecided vote as a step in the right direction," said Pohlmann, a retired family physician. "Having such an indecisive vote gives us a reason for a clean-air ordinance to be brought up again." The issue is likely to factor into next year's mayoral and city council elections. Smoke-Free Carbondale leaders say they plan to speak with all the candidates about the proposal. "As we find out who's running, we plan to talk to all of the candidates, particularly those who make it beyond the primary," Bailey said. Jessica Davis, an announced candidate for mayor, said she was "saddened" by the city council's rejection of a smoking ban. Davis, director of law student development at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, said the city has "a responsibility to protect the health of all its citizens" and that "everyone has a right to breathe clean air." "The city dropped the ball on this issue," Davis said. "We can no longer allow more than 3,000 deaths each year in Illinois. The City Council has reinforced my decision to run for public office in Carbondale." Simon, who also plans to run for mayor, said Carbondale needs to follow suit with the more than 30 Illinois communities that have enacted similar smoking bans, such as Champaign and Chicago. At the Nov. 21 meeting she compared a smoking ban to laws against drunk driving. "It's only illegal when it puts other people in danger," she said. Cole, who plans to run for re-election, said he'd prefer the Illinois General Assembly or U.S. Congress consider the issue rather than individual communities. He said the city already provides incentives for restaurants and bars to go smoke-free by offering rebates of liquor license fees. He said at least 14 businesses had taken advantage of the program. "To say that there are no options, I would disagree," Cole said. "I think that's the way to go." Carbondale council rejects ban on public smoking
11/22/06 CARBONDALE, Ill. Bucking a statewide trend, the city of Carbondale has rejected a proposal to ban smoking in public spaces and workplaces. The City Council voted three-to-three last night to defeat the ban. One council member abstained. Mayor Brad Cole voted against the ban. He said he doesn't think the city should restrict the use of a legal substance by citizens of a legal age on private property. He said the issue is better suited for the state General Assembly or the U-S Congress. Supporters of the ban pointed to the health dangers posed by second-hand smoke. A poll conducted in September suggests that the majority of Illinois residents support a statewide smoking ban. Cities with bans include Chicago, Champaign, Urbana, Oak Park, Bloomington and Normal. Read
A smoke-free Carbondale? Health officials gauge reaction to possible ban
April 25, 2006
by Jason Lee, the Southern
CARBONDALE - An effort to snuff out smoking in restaurants, bars and workplaces has filtered into the city of Carbondale.
"Smoke-Free Carbondale," a campaign recently formed by local health officials, agencies and residents, is looking to gauge the community’s support for such a ban and urge city officials to back what they say has become a serious health concern.
Angie Bailey, director of health education for the Jackson County Health Department, is one of several spearheading the push to rid public places of secondhand smoke. Bailey said smoking ban advocates have discussed the initiative for nearly two years, but are now ready to make a serious push in Carbondale through an organized movement.
Under state legislation signed last year by Gov. Rod Blagojevich, all municipalities in Illinois are permitted to enact individual anti-smoking laws.
"One of Jackson County’s priority health problems is cardiovascular disease, and secondhand smoke can contribute to that," Bailey said. "More and more states and communities are enacting smoke-free laws, and we hope Carbondale will step up to pave the way for others in Southern Illinois."
An Illinois Department of Public Health survey in 2003 found that 71 percent of Illinoisans were non-smokers, she said.
"The number of non-smokers has increased since then, so we think the community will be very supportive of this," Bailey said.
A common obstacle to enacting anti-smoking laws is resistance from restaurant and bar owners, who fear such a move would cripple business and send patrons flocking to nearby communities that allow customers to light up.
"Many business owners feel that this is a serious health issue," Bailey said. "But they are still concerned about what impact a smoking ban would have on their business. However, evidence shows that smoke-free laws are good for business and often have a positive economic impact."
Those worries have prompted opposition from organizations such as the Illinois Restaurant Association (IRA), Illinois Licensed Beverage Association and Illinois Retail Merchants Association, who have criticized proposed anti-smoking legislation. They would likely do the same in Carbondale if a proposed ban gains steam.
Andrew Ariens, an IRA spokesman, said the IRA opposes sweeping bans on smoking in restaurants, but is open to cooperating with local governments to pass "common sense" laws. The IRA, which represents an industry projected to generate $44 billion this year, prefers anti-smoking laws that allow a "grace period" for restaurants and bars to comply, he said.
Ariens said a recently enacted Chicago-wide ban on smoking in public places includes a two-year buffer for businesses to conform.
"We think that makes a lot more sense, rather than immediately enforcing an all-in-one draconian ban on smoking," he said.
Ariens disputes those who say anti-smoking laws positively impact businesses.
"Our research shows that smoking bans have negative economic implications and often result in the laying off of employees" he said.
Meanwhile, Beth Hartke of the American Heart Association (AHA) has joined the endeavor. Hartke resides in Carbondale and serves as the AHA’s corporate events director for Southern Illinois.
"Our first step is to get the support of the public and to rally that support into one unified voice," Hartke said. "Carbondale needs to do this to create a healthier atmosphere. We have a tremendous amount of workers in restaurants and bars that are exposed for eight or more hours a day to secondhand smoke and their health is at risk because of that."
Reaction from Carbondale business owners to the anti-smoking effort is likely to be mixed.
University Teletrack, an off-track betting business, allows patrons to smoke at 1360 E. Main St. in Carbondale. Manager Sue Maier says she thinks a smoking ban could hinder business for awhile, but that customers would return once they got used to the restriction.
"I think our business would go down for about six months, but I think people would eventually get over it and come back," Maier said.
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