Organizers behind successful New Orleans ban reach out to local officials
In less than 90 days, smoking will no longer be allowed in bars and restaurants throughout New Orleans. Organizers of that effort have reached out to members of the St. Charles Parish Council, leading some to wonder if such a ban would have a place in St. Charles.
“I don’t know where or how that would be effective,” Councilman Jarvis Lewis—who said he had conversations with the organizers of the effort in New Orleans—said. “Most places in St. Charles Parish don’t have smoking.”
Lewis cites current state laws that ban smoking in businesses that derive a certain percentage of their revenue from food sales. In St. Charles, he said, that accounts for most of the businesses, even businesses that historically welcomed smoking.
“When I was young my grandparents used to take me to the bingo halls where everyone would be smoking,” Lewis said. “The bingo halls serve food, so now there’s no smoking.”
The biggest impact would come from a limited number of bars and casinos in St. Charles. In New Orleans, Harrah’s Casino initially had an exemption written into the New Orleans ordinance, but the sponsor of that amendment pulled the exemption at the last minute.
Among those hardest hit by a St. Charles ban would likely be businesses such as the Rose Casino in St. Rose.
Magnolia Holdings CEO Glen Smith, which operates the casino on Airline Highway, said he’s open to an Orleans Parish-style ban, provided the rules were applied evenly.
“I think that’s why they pulled the casino off in New Orleans instead of giving them the opportunity to have a little edge over everyone else, and I think that’s really the best thing,” Smith said.
Smith said that while the original discussion involved the right for people to smoke, research into health impacts has drawn a new focus: the right for workers to not be subjected to smoke. In New Orleans, the movement to ban smoking was catalyzed, in part, by workers throughout the city.
“I think that it’s an issue we as business people are always concerned about: people’s rights,” Smith said. “The worker might not smoke, but they have to work in that environment… so that’s a little bit of an issue where you’re infringing on their rights.”
Councilwoman Carolyn Schexnaydre disagreed, saying that it was important not to infringe on the rights of business owners.
“If I couldn’t be around smoke, I wouldn’t get a job where they smoke.” Schexnaydre said. “We have a choice and we can’t just keep taking everything.”
Among visitors to the Rose Casino, opinion was divided.
“Can’t lose money and not smoke,” a man who only asked to be identified as “James” said. “But to each his own, though.”
Nearby, Monique Brown said that though she and James visit the Rose Casino two to three times a week, she would stop entirely if a ban was in place.
“You can just have a card game at home, and then you could smoke,” Brown said.
She and James, she said, already plan to cease all visits to Harrah’s once the New Orleans ban goes into effect. Veronica Krennerich agreed, saying that she “probably” would stop going to Harrah’s and appreciates the St. Rose location as a welcome lunchtime break.
“Usually I’ll go eat something then I’ll come here and smoke a couple of cigarettes,” Krennerich said.
Beverly Mullins, who said she comes to the casino “all the time,” quit smoking six years ago. When she did smoke, however, she said she was courteous of non-smokers around her. She said she would love to see a ban in place in St. Charles.
“It kills me, especially if someone is sitting near me,” Mullins said.
Lisa Lentini took it a step further, saying that excessive smoke causes her to leave the casino.
“They put a smoke eater back here and it helps somewhat–when it’s not too crowded,” Lentini said.
Whitney Irvan, a bartender at Lil Leslie’s in Boutte, said she doesn’t want a ban coming to the parish, and is certain it would negatively effect the bar’s business.
“I work day shift and we make sure the day shift workers who don’t smoke are comfortable—we open doors, we turn on our fans, we do whatever we can to make them happy,” Irvan, who smokes, said.
Smith stated that the cost of maintaining a business that allows smoking is higher. He knows because his casino is attached to two businesses where smoking is not allowed—a restaurant and a gas station.
“[The casino] has more equipment trying to keep the air clean, and the carpets have to be cleaned five times as much,” Smith said.
Both Smith and Lewis praised the Orleans Parish resolution as “bold.” Should an ordinance come before the council, members promised they would look at the issue as a balance between the economic impact on businesses and the health impact on workers.
“I hope we don’t even have to go there,” Schexnaydre said.
Be the first to comment