Gadsden Smoking ordinance to take effect Feb 1st

The Gadsden City Council voted Tuesday to set Feb. 1 as the date the city’s Smoke Free Air ordinance will go into effect.

The council passed the ordinance in June and it was to go into effect Jan. 1. However, it voted in December to delay the effective date to allow further study.

Councilman Thomas Worthy said the council’s Public Safety Committee considered possible changes to the ordinance, but made none.

The ordinance prohibits smoking in all enclosed areas of employment in the city, within 20 feet of public entrances to buildings and in bars, restaurants, businesses and other public places. There is an exemption for cigar bars, despite smoke-free advocates pushing for a complete ban.

Councilman Ben Reed raised concerns that the ordinance could impact funding for the Etowah Youth Orchestras, which receives funding from a bingo tax. He said bingo players who smoke might choose to go elsewhere to play, cutting the funding for the orchestras and other charities that sponsor bingo.

Some businesses, including Goodyear, also had expressed concerns that the ordinance might have an impact on production.