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Naperville split over smokingProposed public ban has `limited' exceptions, andthat sparks a debate

September 15, 2006 | By Jennifer Taylor, Special to theTribune

While becoming smoke-free would be a healthy step forNaperville, there should be "limited" exceptions to a proposedban on lighting up in enclosed public places and businesses,the City Council said.

The rights of nonsmokers, smokers and business owners werediscussed at a town hall-style meeting Wednesday, butspeakers on both sides of the smoldering issue dealt mainlywith the possible economic fallout of a ban on smoking.

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Noting that citizens' well-being is paramount, the council saidfuture discussions would focus on exempting someestablishments from the proposed ban.

"Sooner or later if you want a society that is healthy, you'vegot to get rid of the cigarettes," Councilman RichardFurstenau said. But he added, "I believe there should beexemptions, but limited."

Those exemptions might include restaurants or taverns thatcould demonstrate they'd incur an economic hardship underthe proposed law, hotels with smoking-only rooms, privatenursing-care facilities, private clubs or lodges, homebusinesses and retail tobacco stores.

The City Council, which is slated to discuss the issue againNov. 7, was presented with studies and testimonials onstudies that suggest smoking bans do not harm businesses.And in many cases, studies showed that establishmentsactually prosper after banning smoking.

According to city staff, no Illinois community with a smoking

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Naperville split over smoking - Chicago Tribune http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2006-09-15/news/060915033...

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ban has experienced negative economic consequences.Skokie, Highland Park and Wilmette are the onlymunicipalities in the state with smoke-free ordinances ineffect for more than a year.

A contingent of Naperville restaurant owners, backed by theRestaurant Association of Naperville and the GreaterNaperville Chamber of Commerce, disagreed. They said sucha ban would hurt their businesses if neighboringmunicipalities did not adopt similar smoke-free ordinances.

Rick Sweeney, owner of Your Neighbor's Restaurant & Barand chairman of the Restaurant Association of Naperville,said his clientele is split 50-50 between smokers andnonsmokers. And he thinks his business would sharplydecline or have to be closed outright if the proposed ban isapproved.

"Small local proprietors are the ones put out of business,"Sweeney said, adding that neighboring municipalities "can'twait to get the revenue we will be missing."

Naperville's neighbors--Aurora, Bolingbrook andPlainfield--are not considering smoke-free ordinances. Butofficials in Lisle, Warrenville, Wheaton and Woodridge areweighing anti-smoking proposals.

The Illinois Licensed Beverage Association also submitteddata to the Naperville City Council on revenue decline and joblosses in communities around the country where smokingbans have been implemented.

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Steve Riedl, the association's executive director, said municipalsmoking bans create an unfair playing field. But he said thatsome restaurants and bars have fared well after statewidesmoking bans have been put in place--such as has occurred inCalifornia, Colorado, New York and Massachusetts--becausethey don't give the competition an advantage.

Officials in Skokie, which in July 2003 became the first Illinoismunicipality to adopt a smoke-free ordinance, report that theban did not hurt their local restaurants and bars, according to astaff report. In fact, the report says that the number ofrestaurants and bars that closed or changed hands after thesmoking ban went into effect was considerably lower than thenumber of establishments that closed two years before thesmoking ban began.

Maureen McHugh, interim executive director of the DuPageCounty Health Department and spokeswoman for the DuPageCoalition Against Tobacco, said DuPage is assembling a taskforce to consider banning smoking in the county.

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The DuPage Mayors and Managers Conference is joining ajoint county-municipal task force to examine smokingregulations.

McHugh said many municipalities in the region areconsidering or adopting smoke-free ordinances. Illinoislegislators also have debated instituting a statewide smokingban.

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Naperville split over smoking - Chicago Tribune