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State Waves Away Haze As Smoking Ban Begins: Questions, Complaints

Posted on: Thursday, 2 March 2006, 12:00 CST

By Nicole Nascenzi, Tulsa World, Okla.

Mar. 2--Cigarettes, ashtrays and nicotine stains are a thing of the past for most Oklahoma eateries as a statewide smoking ban went into effect Wednesday. Longtime smoker Joe Babb summed up the situation simply: "It sucks." Babb, a regular customer at the Freeway Cafe, 465 S. Sheridan Road, said he is unhappy that he now has to step outside to have a cigarette.

Another frequent Freeway customer, Wayne Robertson, lit a cigarette as soon as he reached his car Wed-nesday morning. "I think it is real inconvenient -- I think I should be able to smoke if I want to," he said. After a 30-month grace period, most Oklahoma restaurants went smoke-free Wednesday, complying with a 2003 law that bans smoking in public areas. Some eateries will be allowed to have smoking rooms if they comply with extensive smoking-room guidelines. The law applies to most workplaces and has few exceptions, said Elizabeth Nutt, the Tulsa City-County Health Department's division director for consumer protection. No smoking rooms have been inspected yet, but restaurant inspectors working for the Health Department will examine them during the course of normal restaurant inspections, Nutt said. Inspectors also will inspect restaurants for smoking-ban compliance in response to consumer complaints. Smoking sections must be completely enclosed, have separate entrances, dedicated ventilation systems and be under negative air pressure so that no smoke escapes when a door is opened. Some entities, including veterans organizations, charitable bingo halls and stand-alone bars, are exempt from the smoking ban, Nutt said. The law also specifies that smoking can be permitted in restaurants' outdoor dining areas, but not within 15 feet of any exterior public doorway. Fines for violating the ban range from $10 to $100. Tulsa police officers can issue tickets to violators, and offenders will be required to appear in court, Sgt. Kim Presley said. Although officers will respond to calls about smoking-ban compliance, those calls will not be a high priority, Presley said. Complainants also might have to sign a citation and appear in court if the offense does not happen in the presence of an officer. Nutt said she believes that most restaurant owners and patrons will comply with the ban. At Tally's Good Food Cafe, diners breathed smoke-free air Wednesday. Owner Tally Alame said he decided against building a smoking room because of cost and health reasons. Alame changed his marquee to advertise his new smoke-free environment and said customers complied with the new law. Customer Melvin Cloninger said he is a smoker but is not bothered by the ban.

He said he eats at Tally's each day because "the food is good and I like the people." ------------ Nicole Nascenzi 581-8315 nicole.nascenzi@tulsaworld.com

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Copyright (c) 2006, Tulsa World, Okla.

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Source: Tulsa World

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