Puffin'

The Springfield City Council is studying whether to enact a smoking ban at restaurants and bars. As a non-smoker, the selfish side of me hopes they do. Sometimes I'll avoid going out, especially if my hay fever has me congested already. Some bars have horrible ventilation systems too. I can tell you that when I visited Oregon, there was no smoking in any of the restaurants and people were still going out in droves. It sure beats the "smoking or non-smoking" at some places around here. The problem is if you're seated in "non-smoking" but near "smoking," smoke will inevitably drift into your section. For some people with asthma, this can trigger a deadly reaction.
I think ultimately, the city will not pass the ban, but perhaps attention to the issue will lead some businesses to enact no smoking policies at their establishments. What do you think? You can post here, and better yet, if you feel strongly one way or the other, call your alderman and the mayor's office.