Cheyenne city councilor says he will push smoking ban next year

[Thom Little]

Prompted by health studies that say secondhand smoke is harmful, Cheyenne City Councilor Don Pierson says he's ready to push legislation early next year to ban smoking in city restaurants - and possibly also in bars and other public places.

But some in the state's liquor industry say such a measure threatens to harm small family businesses.

"To me, it's just very clear, it's become such a nationwide health issue," Pierson said Monday. "That's what we as the governing body are supposed to be doing: what's good for our community. And public health is at the top of that list."

While Pierson said he's determined to push a measure to ban smoking in restaurants in Wyoming's capital city, he said he's undecided whether he will also target smoking in bars. But he said others on the city council may try to amend his measure to include bars whether he names them initially or not.

"It's becoming commonly known that secondhand smoke and smoking is detrimental, not only to those who smoke, but to those around them who have to breath the smoke," Pierson said.



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