LAWTON Okla_ Governor Mary Fallin
has started another potential fight in the legislature over smoking bans.
Right now, it's
illegal to smoke in most indoor businesses under state law. However, in the governor's State of the State
Address Monday, she said she wanted to change that.
"This year, I
am supporting a proposal to restore local control to cities and towns regarding
tobacco use in public places," said Governor Fallin.
The legislature considered that proposal last year, but it was killed in
the senate. With a larger republican majority this year, the question is ‘Will
there be enough support it this time?'" If the law is passed this year, then an
ordinance will have to pass in your city for the ban to take place. The city
would then determine where you could not smoke, and that could include restaurants,
bars and other businesses.
While some people are all about this, others aren't so sure. Shari Skaggs
and Celina Barber are mother and daughter, but they have very opposing views
when it comes to smoking.
"It is
very bad really," Barber said.
"It's also
my right to choose you know," Skaggs said.
Skaggs agrees
with her mother that there is no room for smoking near children, especially at
schools or parks. She wants the freedom to smoke at bars or designated sections
at restaurants when the kids aren't around.
Barber said the
individual right leads to major health risks.
"They're
not going to know it until they get later on in life, like my age, when they
come down with something," Barber said.
The City of Lawton passed an
ordinance last year to ban smoking in public parks. Director of Parks and Recreation
Kim Shahan said kids are very impressionable.
"Children
seeing adults smoking will encourage them to think it's something they may want
to participate in," Shahan said.
While that is a
big deal, there's actually another reason why the city snuffed out smoking in
its parks. Shahan said the biggest perk to banning smoking on park property is
to help with litter control, though it's proven to be a challenging issue to
resolve.
"It still
comes down to that personal preference of people wanting to obey the law,"
Shahan said.
That personal
preference has caused a small stir at the parks.
"There's
opposition from the citizens to the city regulating this type of ordinance,"
Shahan said.
We did get Lawton
Mayor Fred Fitch's opinion on the subject. He said if the law is approved,
he'll work to come up with a plan that's acceptable to the community. He said he would be willing to get input from
the citizens before making a decision.
As of right
now, Oklahoma
is one of only two states that don't allow cities to pass their own tobacco
laws.
