The Augusta Commission snuffed out an attempt to toughen the city’s smoking ordinance Tuesday night, with many calling it a government intrusion.
Supporters still hope it can be brought back up. But for Commissioner Corey Johnson, who made the motion for approval, it would be “next year.”
Even after removing a ban on smoking in a vehicle with minors present from the ordinance, the measure failed 3-6-1, with Commissioner J.R. Hatney abstaining and only commissioners Matt Aitken and Jerry Brigham joining Johnson in supporting it.
The city is currently operating under state law, which bans smoking in public places where a child could be present but allows it in establishments for adults, such as bars and restaurants that do not admit anyone younger than 18.
Johnson had pushed for the ban in vehicles with anyone age 14 and younger, saying “the kids do not have an option” of not being exposed.
California and Arkansas as well as many cities prohibit smoking in a car with a child 14 or younger. According to an article published online earlier this month in the journal Pediatrics, the percentage of nonsmoking children in grades 6-12 who were exposed to secondhand smoke in a vehicle in 2009 was 22.8 percent, a decline from 39 percent in 2000 but still a concern to the authors.
Brigham argued the tougher ordinance would help nonsmoking workers in public places who might be exposed to secondhand smoke.
“I do believe that is a necessity for their health,” he said.
“We’re not saying people can’t smoke but have respect for people around them,” Johnson said.
Opponents said the ordinance was an overreach by government and would infringe on the private property rights of bar owners and others.
Mayor Pro Tem Joe Bowles said it would essentially force business owners to make their employees and customers stand out in adverse weather to smoke.
“That is intrusive on private individuals in my opinion,” he said.
In Georgia, Savannah bans smoking in bars and Athens-Clarke County, Decatur and Columbia County have all adopted stronger bans, while efforts have stalled in other places.
Advocates including Eric Bailey, Georgia’s advocacy director for the American Cancer Society, said they will not give up but know it will be a fight.
“It’s an uphill battle in Georgia,” he said.
Johnson said he had a feeling the vote would be split before the meeting, but apparently the support is not there to bring it up again.
“Next year, it may be,” he said.
Wow! First sensible thing they have done in years!
And kudos to the AC for the wonderful pun in the first sentence of the article, "The Augusta Commission snuffed out an attempt to toughen the city’s smoking ordinance Tuesday night, with many calling it a government intrusion."
They could have said proponents of smoking ban got their "butts" kicked. (may not make it through censor).
I absolutely hate cigarette smoke. However, as an adult, I can make an educated decision as to where to go and not go - I do not need the government to do this for me.
Excellent Decision by the Commission - Great Job!!
This is one area where the ban should have been passed. I can't think of another activity where one person's actions so invade the space, lungs, taste, and health of another. If a person came over to you and injected you with 50 cc's of nicotine you would be offended, and the law would prohibit that. If that person does it by exhaling smoke into your lungs -- that assault is somehow part of "freedom." Not buyin' it.
You can smoke in your house with your kids but not in your car. I do believe the same smoke that will affect a person in a car is the same smoke that is in ones house. I am an ex-smoker I have to admit I can no longer stand the smell of cigarette smoke. Much less on a person that just smoked a cigarette. But it is not my right or the right of a govt, to tell a person when and where they can smoke in public
augustinian.....Wouldn't they have to give you mouth to mouth for that ???
They made the right decision.....enough with gov. mandates.
I would think people would be offended if someone came up and injected ANYTHING into them since around 50cc of air can kill you, depending on if injected into the circulatory system. Well, that and it would hurt like all get out since 50cc is 10x the max of anything that should be injected im. All of that aside, we are not talking injections, we're talking smells and the chemicals that cause them. Every day we're confronted with smells we may not like, whether it's perfume, debris burning, diesel smoke, the smell of foods from restaurants, or factories (Federal Paper comes to mind). The only way you are going to avoid this is to live in a sterile bubble, or should we ban everything that smells as well?
tech said
or should we ban everything that smells as well?
I'd like to ban GOB sometimes....but he reminds me of the bills he pays here...lollol
:)
The fact that this ban was even CONSIDERED leads me to believe that our wonderful local leaders do not understand that we, the the people, want LESS government, not more. When are they going to understand this?
I hate smoke to. With me it's not the smoke, it's gov. intrusion in the private sector. Gov. buildings, property, fine. But owners should know what is best for their investments. It too bad common courteousy has to be mandated and you would think one would not need to be told it's not healthy to smoke around children. A child doesn't have the benefit of discretion. Rights and Responsibilities should go hand in hand.
Yay for property rights! I am actually a little dumbfounded right now, this is one of the few good decisions the Augusta Commission has made in years, I assumed it would pass.
Look, I am an adult and It is easy to figure out what bars don't allow smoking. If I were a non-smoker I would make it a point to visit those establishments, not dictating my morals to the other ones who want it allowed. How about we start using the government to improve the liberties we have instead of stripping them away. The Commission should be actively working on bringing entertainment to the area instead of spending time deciding whether to force private businesses to follow nanny-state laws.
I will gladly take the cigarette smoke over perfume and aftershave, and the... B.O. Oh MY!!!
I hate cigarette smoke and I rarely patronize a business where it's allowed. There is a principle involved here that's larger than my personal preferences and it has to do with property rights and freedom.
I wholeheartely applaud the Commission's decision.
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