Compromise on smoke ban

Bloomington City Councilmember Anthony Pizzo doesn't like smoke. As a result, many of us won't have the opportunity to make that decision for ourselves.\nPizzo's proposal has the council considering an ordinance this month which would result in one of the largest smoking bans in the Midwest. It would essentially eliminate one's right to scratch that tobacco itch in bars and restaurants in Bloomington.\nCertainly we all know by now the dangers of smoking and secondhand smoke. The Surgeon General has been telling us for years, and a USDA fact sheet on tobacco warns, "Smoking kills more than 400,000 people each year in the United States. It is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States and causes a wide variety of serious illnesses." Furthermore it mentions, "Research has also established that secondhand smoke exposure increases the risk of disease, including lung cancer and chronic coronary heart disease in otherwise healthy adults."\nIn a sense, it's comforting to see that Bloomington is becoming more of a health conscious community.\nHowever, we feel that a complete ban on public smoking is simply misguided.\nThe debate could continue ad-infinitum concerning whose rights are at stake: smokers' rights to spark a legal commodity versus non-smokers' rights to healthy air. Furthermore, it's common knowledge that one's tendency to light a cigarette increases exponentially when the "social smoker" phenomenon sets in Bloomington's bar scene. Thus, we do not claim to finish the argument here.\nWe do, however, feel that a more inclusive proposal can be pursued.\nFor those existing bars that will have to change their policies if this ordinance falls into effect, we suggest that they have the option of reformatting their seating so that certain enclosed areas be designated for smoking and others be labeled "smoke free" on a space ratio. \nIt seems that in a capitalist society the market will determine the extent to which customers are demanding smoke-free air at bars. As it stands, some establishments find it to their advantage to promote their services as "friendly" to smokers. The Irish Lion proudly displays a sign that informs prospective customers that their seating is zero percent smoke-free.\nAs English comedian Eddie Izzard predicts of the American tendency to outlaw vices, the next logical moves are "no drinking and no talking."\nThough we don't believe that such action will be taken, the best way to prevent that or anything remotely similar is for the consumers themselves to act. If you're a smoker, or simply feel that smokers shouldn't be driven to the edges of civilization to take a drag, then lobby the city council. E-mail your concerns (council@city.bloomington.in.us) or visit them personally in city hall. \n-- JP Benitez for the Editorial Board