Extinguishing ban violators

Everyone in Bloomington got a New Year's present of smoke-free air in the bars and restaurants they frequented. \nOn this page, we ran a cartoon of bar patrons expressing incredulity about the fresh oxygen as they had a drink.\nIt was certainly a big change, but it followed the lead of other cities around the country. The idea is even being discussed for Indianapolis. \nBut this breath of fresh air for eateries and bars isn't secured yet. The Indianapolis Star reported Wednesday that since Jan. 1, Bloomington has received as many as 120 complaints, mostly anonymous, from citizens about violations of the smoking ban. \nThere is no doubt many more than 120 violations have gone unreported, noted only by someone huffing out of the bar, frustrated by the smoke. \nNow that the ban has been passed and implemented, it must be enforced. If not, law-abiding businesses that keep their patrons from smoking will be at a disadvantage to the establishments that sniff the other way at smoking customers. Patrons and city officials, for the sake of health and fairness, need to find a consistent way to enforce the smoking ban.\nThis page has written plenty about the ban itself, but the ban will lose much of its meaning if a few operations are permitted to flout the law. \nYes, a more strict enforcement of the smoking ban will place yet another burden on the police department, but its help is needed. Civilian city officials could play a role in enforcement as well.\nThe city will have to determine how to balance responding to complaints about specific restaurants with equitable application of the law. Whatever it takes, Mayor Mark Kruzan and other city officials have a duty to make sure the law is upheld, and no particular establishment can ignore the law simply because its customers don't complain. \nAdditionally, IU students and other Bloomington citizens have a duty to report infractions formally, so that action can be taken to keep the city free from smoke and to promote fair business practice.\nIf businesses and their customers don't like the law, there are legal ways to change the policies. These reported violations are hardly a civil disobedience protest, and they shouldn't be tolerated.\nOur society is based on following the laws, even if we don't agree with them. When a few businesses break the law and allow their patrons to smoke, they undermine the system on which our society is based. The offending businesses must be held accountable with surprise inspections and follow-ups on complaints.\nHowever, the police and city officials cannot do it all by themselves. We, as citizens, hold a solemn responsibility to give the rules significance. \nThat sounds pretty heavy for a simple matter of cigarettes at a bar for college students. Because the law might not seem important to you or your favorite bar's owner, it does not excuse you from abiding by the law.