CASE News

January 9, 2008
KRCG TV, Columbia
Columbia smoking ban one year later
By Matt Grant

COLUMBIA - Some business owners claim it's run them out of business. Health advocates say it's the best thing the city has ever done.

Wednesday, a party was thrown at the Blue Note to mark the anniversary with music, dancing and free food.

Dean Andersen helped organize the event as a way to celebrate the city's decision to snuff out smoking in public places.

"Second hand smoke kills over 1,000 people in Missouri each year," Andersen said. "We wouldn't allow that to happen in other industries."

But not everyone has been happy about the ban.

Becky Reynolds is the owner of Cody's, a country western bar in Columbia. Since the smoking ban business has been down 40 percent, Reynolds said.

"Why would you leave your town where you can go out to your bars, and smoke and drink, or do whatever you want to do [and] drive to another town where you can't do that?," Reynolds asked.

The Boone County Health Dept. said they don't track the number of complaints they've received that's led to actual citations. But they said as of last August they received 68 complaints a month; since then it's dropped to about 8 to 10 a month.

At Cody's there's an area out back for people to smoke, and the many cigarette butts are a sign that smokers are still coming.

And we found more cigarette butts in the men's bathroom, as some smokers tried to get around the ban.

But Jan Lowrey, who used to be a regular at this watering hole, said since the smoking ban she's been going out a lot less.

"It's not comfortable for me to come in and have a cocktail and not be able to smoke," Lowrey said.

Now, she says she stays away from all restaurants in Columbia, since she's no longer allowed to smoke.

Columbia is currently the only city in the area with a smoking ban.