EDITORIAL: Florence City Council examines smoking ban

Florence has waited long enough in deciding whether public places should become smokeless. Florence City Council should have tackled the issue years ago, in our opinion, and we’re glad council members Octavia Williams-Blake and Buddy Brand have introduced an ordinance calling for a ban.

The proposal would eliminate smoking in restaurants, bars and workplaces. The city also would be able to enforce non-smoking rules at public parades, festivals and other gatherings.

“We, as elected officials, really have a moral and ethical obligation to protect and represent the entire community,” Williams-Blake said in a meeting with the Morning News editorial board this week. “Smoking in public is a public health hazard. We need to act. We need to step up to the plate and be responsible.”

Twenty-nine jurisdictions have outlawed smoking in South Carolina, including Columbia, Charleston and Hilton Head. The state General Assembly has been unwilling to consider smoking bans, or even increasing the cigarette tax, so it’s up to local leaders to protect citizens from the hazards of second-hand smoke.

“This is not a vote on whether someone should smoke,” Williams-Blake said. “That’s a personal choice. It’s not a personal choice to smoke in public. Public smoking affects everyone.”

A person who violates the proposed ordinance would face a fine of $10 to $25. A business that’s cited more than four times would face loss of its occupancy permit or business license.

The proposal goes before Florence City Council on Nov. 9. We hope it earns support from other members. We also hope members do not delay a vote by tabling it for study.

“I am not interested in creating a city-county committee to study the proposal,” Williams-Blake said. “I am going to insist on a vote, yes or no. We need to move forward.”

If the bill passes by council with four or more votes Nov. 9, it would go back before the seven members for a second and final reading in December.

Two arguments have been waged in opposition to smoking bans. First, some see it as a privacy issue and do not want the government meddling in their personal business. Where do we draw the line for government in our lives? Second, some business owners fear a smoking ban will chase off customers.

In our opinion, the risks make it paramount for local leaders to act. Taxpayers pay millions each year to treat uninsured patients who suffer from heart and lung disease. There is no risk-free level of exposure to second-hand smoke.

Restaurant owners, already struggling with a slow economy, have a hard time endorsing a bill that could drive customers away. In other cities where smoking has been banned, however, the opposite has been true. Customers enjoy the smoke-free environment and the ability to go home without smelling like an ashtray. And patrons who want to smoke have been able to sit on an outdoor patio.

No-smoking sections do not work in restaurants. The smoke floats into other parts of the establishment, exposing everyone to the risk.

Restaurant employees will benefit from no-smoking restrictions, as well. Their health will no longer be jeopardized by prolonged exposure to cigarette smoke.

Certainly, the tobacco industry is threatened by no-smoking campaigns. Tobacco is the leading cash crop in South Carolina, and it’s grown on thousands of acres in the Pee Dee.

We do not see no-smoking campaigns as a repudiation of tobacco farmers. They’re growing a legal product. Rather, we see it as a public health issue. If people choose to smoke, we encourage them to use tobacco in the privacy of their own home or vehicle.

This issue has been simmering on the back burner for too long. At the least, we hope the council takes a vote, showing us where the city stands on the issue.

— Unsigned editorials represent the views of this newspaper. Editorial Board members are Mark Laskowski (regional publisher), James Bennett (regional editor), Sam Bundy (sports editor), Kimberly Ginfrida (news editor), David Johnson (regional circulation director), Charles Tomlinson (Lake City News & Post editor) and Jackie Torok (metro editor).