I hope the city council holds firm on the smoking ban. As stated in the article, smoking sections are useless unless the area is completely enclosed and there are few restaurants that have such a section. I understand people have a right to smoke but don't I also have the right to enjoy a meal without smoke? Why lift the ban? I don't believe businesses are hurting due to the ban. In fact, this could drive away the non-smoking clients. Why sit in a smoke filled restaurant when you can drive to Decatur and enjoy a smoke free meal?

the majority of the council is right. leave it up to the business owner. we don't need a nanny government. i, unlike Justice, and other like minded socialist, can make my own decision whether to go into a smoking or non-smoking business.. he on the other hand, needs the government to do it for him. (i am non-smoker, but i don't try and force my views on someone else.

Better work on that shooting a week in Lawrence Co. problem 1st! What's up with that?

Tammy, you might want to read some articles concerning secondhand smoke. There is a good one on the American Lung Association. http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/CancerCauses/TobaccoCancer/secondhand-smoke Of particular interest is what researchers are calling third hand smoke.

"This refers to the toxic particles that are left in the air after you can no longer see the smoke. Over time, they settle on surfaces and can be measured long after the person is done smoking. Though unknown, the cancer-causing effects would likely be very small compared with direct exposure to secondhand smoke, such as living in a house with a smoker. But this is an active area of tobacco research."

So not only are you breathing the smoke when you are in a restaurant that allows smoking but you are eating it as well.

Like I said, I do not mind restaurants having a smoking section as long as it is enclosed and the smoke doesn't escape to disturb the dining experience of others. To my knowledge, there is only one restaurant in Lawrence County that meets that standard... Caddo Cafeteria. I used to laugh when I would walk into other places and see the smoking section designated by a sign. Like the smoke is supposed to know it is required to remain contained in that one section.

You may not care if you sit in a smoke filled restaurant or not but I figure I have paid my money just like the smokers. Why should I have to endure their cigarette smoke? Can they not wait until they leave the restaurant to smoke their cigarette?

"Secondhand smoke contains more than 50 substances that can cause cancer. Health effects of exposure to secondhand smoke include lung cancer, nasal sinus cancer, respiratory tract infections and heart disease.

There is no safe amount of secondhand smoke. Children, pregnant women, older people and people with heart or breathing problems should be especially careful."

NIH: National Cancer Institute

One final note... you might want to look up the term socialist. Wanting the government to ban smoking in public places is in no way socialism.

One final note... You said, "i am non-smoker, but i don't try and force my views on someone else." Well, I am also a non-smoker and I would prefer that smokers not force their cigarette smoke on me.

I can't believe the county and city governments have not banned smoking in any public place long before this time. If you don't believe it is cleaner go into areas where smoking is banned to this degree. Obviously the people fighting for the right to smoke had not had to carry a loved one in for cancer treatment. I have actually seen someone pull into the parking lot of a treatment center and get that last puff before getting out of their car. That is also their right. Thank goodness the state that I live in has no smoking in any public place.