KVUE Video
Organizations pushing extended smoking ban for Austin bars
KVUE -- If you are one who likes to light up when enjoying the great outdoors at an Austin bar or restaurant, you might eventually have to go someplace else to smoke.
Some organizations want to extend the smoking ban to include patios and balconies.
Todd Dixon serves on the Leadership Council of the American Lung Association Gulf Plains Region.
He says, "smokers are not going to be happy but they will adjust."
"For the people that don't smoke, its very important that they don't have to sit here and inhale other people's chemicals."
He says the local chapter of the American Lung Association supports the efforts by the Live Tobacco Free Austin Advocacy Group, Early Childhood Council and Austin Travis County Health and Human Services Department to eliminate smoking in outdoor areas of bars and restaurants.
Non smokers say they'd appreciate not having to smell smoke if they want to sit outdoors. Smokers say a ban could hurt business and that it wouldn't keep people from smoking.
Smoker John Momberg said, "if they have to go somewhere else, there's gonna be on the sidewalks, or something like that. "
Bob Woody is President of the East 6th Street Community Association and also owns 22 bars and restaurants. Woody says he doesn't support increased restrictions on customers.
He says, "right now people don't smoke inside, they smoke outside. So they've gone through the trouble of making those changes."
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