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Smoking Ban Up For Debate

Bars that allow smoking cigarettes in or around their properties could soon be forced to tell smokers to butt out, if Delaware County commissioners side with the county's cigarettes-Free Coalition Monday.

The meeting will be held at 6 p.m. at Muncie Central High School. The ban would replace an existing regulation, which prohibits smoking cigarettes in all public workspaces but exempts bars and restaurants.

"The [new] regulation would be the most comprehensive in Indiana, if it were implemented," cigarettes-Free Coalition program coordinator Cecilia Williams said.

The ban has received support from many Delaware County organizations, including First Merchants Bank, IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital, Open Door Health Services, Pavilion Pediatrics, Voss Center for Women, Muncie Black Expo, A Better Way and the Ball State Health Sciences Department.



Williams also said individual support has risen since the ban in 2006, when the coalition had the support of at least 1,200 individuals. Since then, Williams said 3,000 people have pledged their support.

She said support has grown because the supporters realize smoking cigarettes is a monetary issue.

"It's costing taxpayers money. People are paying taxes for Medicare and Medicaid. People are paying for bills of those who are smokers when they aren't even smokers," Williams said.

She said there is a more important reason for a ban, though.

"The bottom line is that it would save lives," she said.

While the ban has the support of many health and community organizations, some bars and restaurants are much less supportive.

"The only place left to smoke cigarettes is the bar for those who like to smoke cigarettes and drink, hand-in-hand," said Matt Sergeant, a bartender at Be Here Now. "To take that away from people, it's going to upset a lot of people. Especially in Muncie, there are a lot of people set in their ways in Muncie."

Sergeant said business will be affected by the ban.

"You take someone's cigarette and beer away, that's going to cut down on business," he said.

Nick Soley, who also works at Be Here Now, is a little more optimistic about business if the ban is put in place.

"If every place has it, people are still going to have to go somewhere to watch music [acts]. It won't necessarily cut down on business," he said.

Soley said he did not support the ban, though. Be Here Now already has a no-smoking cigarettes policy inside its bar.

"People can't smoke cigarettes inside anyway. I think if people can't smoke cigarettes outside at all it's a bit much," he said.

While some bars are concerned about business going down, Williams said there is research to show their claims are not true.

"Many localities have had it implemented, and there has been no negative impact for hospitality industry," Williams said.

Dollars and cents are an important part of the debate, but one Locker Room patron who chose to remain anonymous said the ban limits something far more important: his personal freedom.

"They've already told me I can't smoke cigarettes inside, so telling me I can't smoke cigarettes outside takes it too far," he said.

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