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Council gives 60 days to kick habit of smoking indoors; bars exempted

By JOHN MUNFORD
jmunford@TheCitizenNews.com

Sixty more days and POOF! the smoke will be gone from public indoor areas in Peachtree City such as restaurants, retail stores, workplaces and city buildings.

That’s the grace period before Peachtree City’s non-smoking ordinance goes into effect; it was approved Thursday night on a 4-1 vote. After the 60-day grace period, restaurant patrons will have to start taking their smokes outside, and anyone smoking outside must be at least 10 feet away from the building to keep the smoke from wafting inside through doors, windows and ventilation systems.

Smoking will still be allowed at bars, so long as no more than 60 percent of its sales are for food.

The lone vote of opposition belonged to councilwoman Judi-ann Rutherford, who has previously said since the matter is a health issue — of protecting persons from secondhand smoke — no indoor areas should be exempted.

Councilman Steve Rapson, who also felt the same way two weeks ago, changed his mind and voted for the ordinance. He reasoned that even with the exemption for bars — which have traditionally catered to smokers — a large majority of the population will be protected.

With the exemption, bars will not be able to admit anyone under 18, including employees. Rapson asked if council would agree to change the age limit to 21 because of bars, but other council members balked.

And, as Rutherford put it, some of the persons between 18 and 21 who go to bars are serving as designated drivers.

Private clubs will also be exempt from the smoking ban unless the facilities are being used for public events such as a bingo night or other gathering.