Macon smoking ban defeated

In April, the Macon City Council first passed the proposed smoking ban that would have outlawed smoking in bars, nightclubs, restaurants and other public places. Mayor Robert Reichert vetoed that version.

Supporters have since revised the ordinance, trying to gain the Mayor’s support, but the revised version failed to pass Macon City Council's Public Safety Committee. Supporters of the proposal tried to get it put before a full council vote Tuesday, which could have overruled the committee’s decision with eight votes. However, it was not placed on the agenda.

Still, just the possibility that the ban could be voted on again drew even more criticism from the owners of local establishments that would be affected by the ban.

Supporters and opponents of the ban generally have two different ideological view points about smoking. Supporters see it as a public health issue while opponents see it a business and economic issue.

For now though, the ban has been mostly defeated. It is unclear where supporters are planning to go next, but any further attempts to get the law passed would most likely require supporting council members to consult with the city attorney. As soon as the supporters bring up the proposal again, the opposition will be there to contest it.