City Council rejects smoking ban

Finally there is hope for a town in MO.

I realize some people do not like cigarette or cigar smoke and they feel they should be able to go to a restaurant/bar and not have to inhale it.

HOWEVER, they do not own the establishment. They have no other investment, other than their time and the money they spend. In essence, they are “renting” under certain conditions, and those conditions are set by the OWNER….ie the person taking all the risk and responsibility of running the establishment. If the owner wishes to exercise his private property rights (no different than owning a home and smoking around guests that visit) and thinks he can make a living, be profitable and stay open by allowing people to smoke, then so be it. If you do not like it, go somewhere else.

Meanwhile, if you are a worker and you do not wish to work around smoke….find a job elsewhere. Working at a bar/resturarnt is not a right, but a priviledge. If you set the conditions of no smoking, and the owner rejects your offer, then you don’t get the job. If you take the job KNOWING that they smoke there, you made an educated and informed adult decission. Live with it.

Great job for the City Council of Webb City for realizing that personal property rights override the “Will of the People”. Especially when only a little more than 400 people in a population of more than 10K turn out out to vote on a measure.

Webb City council rejects smoking ban

WEBB CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Although Webb City voters supported a smoking ban, the city council voted against implementing the ban in the southwest Missouri city.

The council voted 5-3 Monday night against the ban.

Webb City residents voted 452-348 on April 5 in favor of the ban. Mayor John Biggs said the vote was only a straw vote to guide the council.

Opponents had argued the ban infringed on the rights of citizens, particularly business owners. Proponents say smoking is a health issue even for non-smokers .

The Joplin Globe reports that the ban would have prohibited smoking in public places or places of work. Smoking would have been allowed in buildings used by dues-paying members and stores that primarily sell tobacco.