Thursday, Sep. 04, 2008

Smoking ban

WE COMMEND Lexington Town Council for leading the way in Lexington County by banning smoking in restaurants, bars and other workplaces.

The town joins Columbia and Richland County in shielding captive employees from completely unnecessary exposure to carcinogens. The U.S. Surgeon General has declared there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand cigarette smoke.

Until now, Lexington County governments have been hesitant to enact bans, as they’ve waited to see what others would do. Now that the Town of Lexington has acted, Lexington County Council and the county’s other municipalities should follow suit. Lexington County and West Columbia leaders are considering bans.

Leaders in many of the county’s municipalities are waiting to see what County Council does. It makes sense for all of Lexington and Richland county to pass the ban, one that includes restaurants and bars communitywide. Making public accommodations in the Midlands smoke-free would address many restaurant and bar owners’ concerns that a ban that isn’t adopted by the entire community or that exempts bars would encourage patrons to abandon them for nearby competitors whose patrons are allowed to smoke.

But even in seeking uniformity, governments must not delay. Instead of waiting to see what others might do, the town of Lexington’s counterparts should take the initiative and do the right thing.