North Charleston City Council votes not to ban smoking

North Charleston City Council voted 6-4 not to ban smoking in public places.

Council, meeting as the Committee of the Whole to discuss the issue, made the decision at the end of a lengthy discussion that ultimately rested on business owners and their rights.

"I believe as a government we have gone to the nth degree of involving ourselves in business decisions," said Mayor Keith Summey, who recently quit smoking. "I just don't believe we should be interjecting ourselves (in those decisions)."

Councilwoman Dorothy Williams, who does not smoke, agreed.

"I don't believe we should dictate to businesses," said Williams, who also didn't like the 2 a.m. bar-closing mandate the city passed last fall. "If you don't want to go into an establishment, don't go."

Councilman Ed Astle, a former smoker of 22 years, sided with the majority.

"It's not our place to tell private businesses how to operate," Astle said.

On the opposite end of the argument was Councilman Steve Ayer.

"I support banning it outright," the non-smoker said. "We dictated to the bars that they had to shut down at 2 o'clock in the morning. We slapped everybody in the face with that."

Charleston, Mount Pleasant and Sullivan's Island have passed bans on indoor smoking in public places, and Councilman Bob King believes North Charleston should not be the only major jurisdiction left in the metro area that does not have a smoking ban.

King wanted to set parameters on smoking in public places, but his ideas were snuffed out.

"A row of plants is not a barrier," said Councilman Bobby Jameson, referring to some businesses that separate smoking and non-smoking sections. "We have an obligation to protect non-smokers where we believe we have a health hazard."

Dan Carrigan, executive director of the Smoke Free Action Network that lobbies for smoke-free workplaces across the state, urged council to adopt the smoking ban.

"Everyone has a right to breathe clean air," Carrigan said, citing study after study that second-hand smoke is harmful.

Berenice Moreno is one of those people he is trying to protect. She doesn't smoke, but she waits tables in a North Charleston restaurant that allows smoking.

"The smoke bothers me a little," the North Charleston resident said. "I would not have a problem with not allowing smoking."

Daniel Boone manages another restaurant in North Charleston. He doesn't smoke but he thinks if someone wants to, it's his or her right.

"Nobody twists your arm to come into a place to eat," Boone said.

"It's an infringement on a person's choice," said Phil Lugo, a smoker and resident in Olde North Charleston near Park Circle. "They should not tell us what to do."

North Charleston considered a ban on smoking in public places such as restaurants and bars after the state Supreme Court ruled unanimously in March that itÂ’s OK for local governments to pass bans on indoor smoking in public places.

Those voting to deny the ban besides Astle, Summey, Williams were Councilmen Michael Brown, Sam Hart and Kurt Taylor.

Councilwoman Phoebe Miller voted with Ayer, Jameson and King against denying the ban. Councilwoman Rhonda Jerome left the meeting before the vote.

Reach Warren Wise at 745-5850 or wwise@postandcourier.com.