To Smoke Or Not To Smoke?

Smoking Orange Beach Orange Beach Council being pressured by restaurants and bars to amend recently passed smoking ban.

by Pat Peterson

Published: Tue, September 04, 2007 - 4:38 pm CST Last Updated: Tue, September 04, 2007 - 5:13 pm CST

Lester Bryant owns one of the busiest restuarants in Orange Beach. Bryant says since the city adopted a smoking ban last month, he's losing customers and money.

"It's hurting," says Bryant. "We have some customers who smoke who just don't come in anymore, they'd rather stay at home where they can smoke."

The smoking ordinance bans smoking inside any public building...including restaurants and bars.

"People like to smoke when they drink," says Bryant. "We're just hoping the city council will consider our point of view and allow some concessions."

The Orange Beach City Council held a worksession Tuesday to discuss the smoking ban and the concerns of restaurant owners.

"The bottom line is second-hand smoking kills," says Councilwoman Tracy Holiday. "This is a public health issue and we did this for the public health of citizens. We understand some business owners have concerns, but the ordinance has only been in effect for a month, let's give it some time."

"This is America," says Bryant. "As a business owner, I should be able to do what I want to do with my property."

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mari Says:

Tue, Sep 04, 2007 at 8:05 pm

I am not a smoker and never have been, but I have lived around smokers all my life. I believe that businesses should be able to decide for themselves to be smoke free or not. I don’t like to be around second hand smoke, so if I go to a restaurant, etc. that has a problem with smoke I just tell the management and then I don’t go back. Yes, I have walked out of many places because of the smoke, but the management has always know why. They can then make their own decision. I second the motion about remembering this at election time. Sometimes our leaders intenting to help us will “do good us to death”.

OhSherry Says:

Tue, Sep 04, 2007 at 5:19 pm

I hope Mr. Bryant remembers to vote when it is time for Councilwoman Tracy Holiday!