Irving Leaders To Discuss Smoking Ban
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IRVING (CBSDFW.COM) - Another community in North Texas may soon pull the plug on smoking. City leaders in Irving are expected to take up the issue on Thursday night.
While smokers are already unable to light up at most businesses in the city, there are some restaurants and other places where smoking is still permitted. If the new proposal moves forward, there will be even fewer options for smokers.
The proposal calls for smoking to be outlawed everywhere except for tobacco shops and existing sports cafes. It outlines that the city will "recognize that the need to breathe smoke-free air shall have priority over the choice to smoke."
There are also some other businesses that would be exempt from the ordinance. That is because the proposal includes a grandfather clause. Businesses that have ventilated smoking sections could continue to let people light up, at least until ownership changes. New restaurants would no longer be allowed to have smoking sections.
"If I get an option of going to a place where they don't smoke, then I'll probably go there," said resident Rafael Prieto.
However, resident Marina Kamran prefers businesses where smoking is allowed. "It actually brings businesses a lot of patrons coming in, because there's a lot of us who are smokers and we look for places we can go, drink and smoke, and have a good time."
Irving City Council members have been debating this issue for months, and the current proposal on the table does have the potential to pass. A decision could be made Thursday at the council's 7:00 p.m. meeting.
