The city of Columbus’ partial smoking ban is officially under review after councilmen tabled a request to make it a comprehensive ban.
Stephanie Collier, project director of the Office of Tobacco Control in Lowndes, Oktibbeha and Clay counties, asked the council to consider changing the city’s policy, which currently only allows people who are at least 21 years old to enter businesses where smoking is allowed. A comprehensive ban would make smoking in any establishment, including age-restricted venues, illegal.
Collier led a similar charge in West Point last year, asking selectmen to enact a comprehensive smoking ban. After discussing the proposal during a pre-meeting work session in November, selectmen opted not to go forward, and a smoking ordinance has not been brought up at a public meeting since then.
Collier said her agency has been working with Lowndes County school students to educate them on the dangers of lighting up, but creating a smoke-free environment starts with adults.
“People that are non-smokers still have the right to enter a facility and enjoy their time with their loved ones or their friends without having to be affected by the hazards of second-hand smoke,” she said Tuesday.
City attorney Jeff Turnage advised the council it could change the ordinance to cover all establishments if desired, but the partial ban he drafted that was passed in 2010 was a compromise move that pacified non-smokers who wanted stronger regulation on indoor smoking and business owners who didn’t want a complete ban.
“That has pretty much, in my observation, resulted in what would almost be an out-and-out ban anyway,” Turnage said. “It appears to have taken care of itself pretty well.”
Collier added that the city would be eligible for grant funding from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi and the Mississippi Office of Tobacco Control if it were to adopt a comprehensive ban.
Councilman Joseph Mickens motioned to table her request until the next meeting. It passed unanimously.
There are three age-restricted establishments in Columbus that still allow smoking: Fat Daddy’s, The Loft in Ruben’s Fish House and Sey’s Sports Bar and Grill.
Ryan Haughton, a manager at Sey’s, said he believed a full ban may actually work against Collier’s intentions of stamping out smoking for the convenience of non-smokers.
“A lot of people come here because they can smoke in here. That would greatly affect us. We pay the bills here, not (Collier),” Haughton said. “If you (adopt a full ban) you risk people going outside with their drinks, and that could get everybody in trouble. If you really think about it, it’s just going to make her look stupid and it’s going to cause a lot of problems for other places. You’re going to have people who don’t want to go outside to smoke and they don’t want to leave their drinks unattended at a bar because somebody could possibly do something to them or they could get thrown away.”
Councilman Charlie Box said he would vote against a motion for a comprehensive ban even if having one could bring grant funding to Columbus. The partial smoking ban was controversial when it was passed and while a growing number of people over time have told him it was the right thing to do, there’s no need to proceed further, he said.
“You don’t do something like that just to get money. I think what we’ve got has done a real good job,” Box said. “I don’t see a need for what she’s asking for if we’ve got (a ban) already in place. It would just stir the water up again. I wouldn’t be in favor of it at all and I don’t see it gaining any traction.”
Starkville became the first Mississippi city to adopt a comprehensive smoking ban in 2006.
Nathan Gregory covers city and county government for The Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 37 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.