City may pursue state smoking ban

FLORENCE -- City council members will consider today whether to ask the local legislative delegation to support a statewide smoking ban in restaurants.

The matter was brought up in November, but action was delayed until today because the council did not grant immediate consideration for the resolution to be voted on in that meeting.

That automatically moved the issue to today's meeting, where a vote for immediate consideration will not be needed.

The resolution is sponsored by council members Leland Howard, Sam Pendleton, Hermon Graham and James Barnhart.

It is an alternative to an earlier council proposal to ban smoking in restaurants throughout the city.

Councilwoman Angie Pickens, a major proponent of the citywide ban, said members of the American Cancer Society likely will be at today's meeting to push for the citywide proposal.

"I don't want it passed on to the state Legislature," Pickens said Monday. "I don't want us to say, 'We'll pass the buck.' We should take responsibility."

Pickens said the city banned smoking in city-owned vehicles and buildings in 1993 because of the dangers posed by secondhand smoke. It seems logical for the city to take an additional step by banning smoking at other places where secondhand smoke poses a danger, she said.

Some council members have said they don't want to tell a restaurant owner how to run his or her business. Pickens counters by saying that already is done by governmental agencies through such means as health department regulations.

Council members say focusing on a statewide ban would prevent Florence restaurants from suffering the problem of customers dining at a neighboring city that doesn't ban smoking.

Howard, the council president, said an Alabama Restaurant Association document suggests if there is a movement to ban smoking in restaurants, it should be done on the state level, so there would be no unfair competition.

Today's resolution would express the city's support of the association's position, and include letters of request for support from the local legislative delegation.

The work session begins at 3 p.m., with the regular meeting beginning at 5 p.m. in the City Hall auditorium.

Bernie Delinski can be reached at 740-5739 or bernie.delinski@timesdaily.com.