State Senator Capri Cafaro says a bill just introduced in the Ohio Senate would make what she calls "common sense adjustments" to the current smoking ban in the Buckeye State.
"That would lift the ban on family-owned businesses, the small proprietors that we were just talking about, private clubs such as VFW's, it also makes some clarifications and adjustments as it pertains to the outdoor patio rules that currently exist in law.", says Senator Cafaro from Ohio's 32nd District.
Cafaro was joined by several local bar, tavern and VFW owners at Leon's in Warren, who say their businesses have been down since the ban stamped out cigarettes last year.
"All the people that came in that used to smoke, you don't even see them.", says Maria Dutton, who runs the VFW Local 93 Post with her husband, on South Avenue in Youngstown.
"Mostly bars, and taverns, and clubs especially, daytime crowds are pretty much shot, your nighttime crowds you'll have them, but they'll be periodic.", says Leon's owner Richard Kelsh.
It's also created a bar border battle-- where people can walk or drive over to Pennsylvania to drink, smoke and eat in the same building.
"Yeah, they kind of look around, then they see an ashtray or someone pulls a cigarette out, and, oh this is Pennsylvania, we can smoke in here! So we do get crowds from Vienna and Youngstown because we're so large on food.", says Gene Zreliak, owner of E-Z's Orangeville Tavern in Sharpsville, Pa.
There is a smoking ban awaiting the Governor's signature in Pennsylvania. And Cafaro says this new bill would make both state bans very similar in restrictions and enforcement. Senator Cafaro says,
"Pennsylvania has exemptions for small mom and pop operations, family businesses, private clubs, private homes..."
Cafaro says the bill will be up for discussion when the General Assembly returns from recess.
