Thursday night the seats were filled inside the Kenton County Courthouse as officials read the proposed smoking ban ordinance for the first time. The room was also filled with opinions.
"There is no safe level of exposure to tobacco smoke. Even low levels of tobacco smoke lead top death and disease. Including heart attack, stroke, weakened immune systems and asthma attacks. The list goes on," said Betsy Janes, who supports the ban.
"You don't really need to create this law, to add a burden of enforcement. To add, you know, one side against the other. You just need to let it take its course," said Dennis Smith, who is against the smoking ban.
Fort Wright and Fort Mitchell city councils have already gone on the record against the ban.
Residents know this is the time to say what they want to say considering the next meeting scheduled for December 21 may be the time officials vote yes or no for the ban.
"Let's do this for the citizens of Northern Kentucky and let's not let the tobacco companies win one more chance here. They spend lots of money on marketing. We're all familiar with that and this is a grass roots effort to protect health," Janes said.
"You're trying to make it illegal to smoke when smoking is legal. Just let us run our business. That's all we need to do. I'll put a big sign out front, how big do you want it? This is smoking. You don't like smoking? Don't come in," said business owner Earl Cox.
This issue goes beyond Kenton County.
Campbell County will have their second meeting and a possible vote regarding the smoking ban next week. If both counties approve the ban, it will take effect in April.
www.kypost.com - By: Adam Marshal
