If the proposed smoking ban passes as is, it will eliminate smoking in bars and restaurants but not in private clubs. According to the proposed ordinance, a private club is defined as a nonprofit organization whose members are either part of a nationally recognized fraternal organization, have served in the armed forces or are joined together for a common purpose. Also, entry must be restricted to members and guests of members. This is a blatant double standard that should be removed from the ban before it is passed.\n Council member Anthony Pizzo said the exclusion was added at the request of the mayor and was not in his original draft. He said the reasoning is that private clubs are treated as private homes, which are also exempt. However, he also noted that if a private home is used as a daycare then it must also ban smoking. That could lead to smoking being banned in private clubs when many people are present.\nIf the philosophy behind this ban is to provide Bloomington residents with smoke-free environments in which they may work and seek entertainment, then there is no logic behind this exemption. Clearly, members of these clubs who wish to attend meetings or social events should have the same rights as a bar patron. Families often attend functions at these places, so children are put at risk of exposure to second-hand smoke.\nThe language of the code also prevents businessmen from skirting the law. Pizzo said people who try to start a private club for the sole purpose of drinking and smoking would not be granted an exception. Since these organizations must be nonprofit, even bars that would charge a membership fee would still have to ban smoking.\nWhat we have here is a sort of ageism that discriminates against popular entertainment for the younger generations. These private clubs cater to older persons who also vote more and contribute more to campaign funds. Pizzo wasn't sure if golf clubs would have been allowed this exemption, but if they met the requirements, we could also be looking at discrimination in terms of class, allowing smoking at exclusive establishments but not bars. Council member Jason Banach's amendment to permit exemptions for all "18-and-over" establishments was struck down. Had this passed, all age-restrictive bars could allow smoking. Banach was the only one who voted for his own amendment.\nThe final vote will not be until March 26, at which time we urge the council to adopt a more across-the-board policy.\n"Private clubs were not exempt from my original draft," Pizzo said, "and I'm still trying to get rid of them."
-- Jason Gaddis for the Editorial Board
