Teens push for smoking ban

EDITOR

The group of teenagers that got cigarettes kicked out of the courthouse last year have set their sights on local restaurants.

More than two dozen members of the Pike County Youth Leadership Council — representing teens from every Pike high school — came before the Pikeville City Commission Monday night supporting a ban on smoking in restaurants.

“Our argument is we feel it’s not fair to children to be subjected to smoking,” said the group’s president, Adam Handy.

One group member, Haley Hatfield, said she supports a ban in restaurants because she’s allergic to smoke.

“Everybody’s saying you need to protect smokers’ rights — we’re saying you have to protect childrens’ rights,” she said.

And the group is worried about all children — not just those who live in Piikeville.

“After the commission votes, we’re going to go ahead and try to make all the restaurants in Pike County smoke-free,” Handy said. They have visits planned to other local government bodies, including the Pike Fiscal Court, the Elkhorn City Council and the Coal Run City Commission.

“I think it will go far beyond Pikeville,” Handy predicted.

The group was buoyed by their success last year. In May 2006, the Pike Fiscal Court banned smoking in the Pike County Hall of Justice.

While they are confident of success, the proposed ban on smoking isn’t making everyone happy.

Landmark Inn owner Tom Huffman came to Monday’s meeting in opposition to the proposal because it would prevent smoking in bingo halls, which raise money for charity. Huffman rents a bingo hall to local organizations.

“I have no problem with the smoking ban in restaurants — places children can go,” he said. But in the case of his bingo hall, “The people who come are all 18 or older.

“If you’re 18 or older, you have the right to make the decision yourself.”

In response to his concerns, city commissioners held a first reading of two different smoking ordinances — one that would allow smoking in bingo halls, and one that would not.

In two weeks, when the issue comes up again, they can choose to pass either one.

Huffman hopes they pick the smoking ordinance that would still let bingo players light up.

“If not, it’ll close the bingo hall — and hurt the charities,” he says.

Mayor Frank Justice II and Commissioner Jimmy Carter agreed with Huffman that the bingo hall should be exempt from the ordinance, while Commissioner Barry Chaney was opposed. Commissioner Gene Davis said he would think about it and Commissioner Dallas Layne was on the fence regarding the issue.

Editor Rachel C. Stanley can be reached via e-mail at rstanley@news-expressky.com.