I'm going to die now of second hand smoke.......
St. Louis County drops smoking ban effort [FONT class=byLine][FONT color=#211c1c size=1]
By [/FONT][A class=storyByline href="mailto:
[email protected]"]
[FONT color=#900000]Phil Sutin[/FONT][/A][/FONT]
[FONT class=byLine color=#211c1c size=1]
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH[/FONT]
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Tuesday, Aug. 01 2006[/FONT]
CLAYTONThe St. Louis County Council on Tuesday ended an effort to ban smoking in most
indoor places in the county.
The council instead was considering a bill to require owners or operators of
bars, restaurants or casinos to post a sign that says whether their
establishments allow smoking, prohibit it or maintain special smoking areas.
Council Chairman Kurt Odenwald, R-Shrewsbury, and Councilman Skip Mange, R-Town
and Country, had introduced two bills - one to ban smoking in indoor places
with few exceptions, the other to put the issue on the Nov. 7 ballot.
After hearing nearly two hours of speeches, mainly from opponents of a smoking
ban, the council adopted an amendment to the anti-smoking bill to remove an
exemption for casinos. The council then adopted a second amendment that
substituted the sign provision for Odenwald's bill.
The votes on both amendments were 4-3. Councilman John Campisi, R-south St.
Louis County, voted in favor of both. He supported his three fellow Republicans
in adopting the casino exemption. He then joined the three Democrats on the
council to substitute the sign measure. Councilman Mike O'Mara, D-north St.
Louis County, sponsored the change.
After the meeting, Campisi said customers should have a right to choose whether
to patronize a smoke-filled or smoke-free business place. He said he voted for
Odenwald's amendment so people could see "what is being proposed."
Campisi was a co-owner of Mama Campisi's restaurant in the Hill neighborhood
until his family sold it in 2004. He said the owners allowed smoking there
because it was what customers wanted.
Odenwald said after the meeting that Tuesday's action showed the council has
four votes against an anti-smoking bill. He said his measure would have failed
some other way later.
