Fraters Libertas

Smoke 'Em If You Got 'Em

Hennepin County approves scaled back smoking ban:

The Hennepin County commissioners on Tuesday approved an amendment to scale back parts of the smoking they enacted earlier this year.

On a 4-3 vote, the commissioners exempted traditional bars from the ban until July 2007. The county's current ordinance prohibits smoking in all indoor areas of "food establishments," including restaurants and bars.

Good news for bar owners in Hennepin County. Unless you're a bar owner in Minneapolis, Bloomington, or Golden Valley (all cities within Hennepin County) who will likely feel even more pain now:

If Hennepin County decides to exempt bars from the ban, local ordinances in Minneapolis, Bloomington and Golden Valley will remain intact.

In Bloomington, smoking is banned inside public places and workplaces, including bars and restaurants. The ordinance also prohibits smoking within 25 feet of entrances, exits, open windows and ventilation intakes of public places and workplaces. Restaurants may designate up to one-half of outdoor seating capacity as permitted smoking areas.

In Golden Valley, smoking is banned in both indoor and outdoor dining areas of liquor and food establishments, within 25 feet of entrances, exits, open windows, and ventilation intakes of public places and workplaces, within 25 feet of any outdoor dining area, and in public parks and recreation facilities.

In Minneapolis, smoking is banned in liquor and food establishments, bowling alleys and pool and billiard halls.

In Golden Valley, sister city to Pyongyang, merely saying the word "smoke" is prohibited within city limits.

The Minnesota Partnership for Action Against Tobacco has spent $100,000 on print advertisements in favor of the Hennepin County smoking ban.

And still lost. This is a small victory, but a victory nonetheless.