I personally don’t like second-hand smoke. It is nasty and unhealthy. However, the smoking ban really is not an issue of health, but one of freedom. I think the smoking ban in Ames should be abolished because it inhibits a business owner’s right to run his/her business the way he/she feels necessary to facilitate it.

The truth is that the smoking ban should have never been an issue here in Ames. Smoking at restaurants and other places of interest is a self-governing issue. If a significant portion of a restaurant’s business comes from smokers, the owner would likely want to allow smoking. But, if a large majority of a restaurant’s business comes from nonsmokers, it would make sense for the owner to prohibit smoking in order to keep the majority of business.

It is likely that the ban is significantly hurting many small businesses around town, which our economy depends on. This in turn will keep sales tax revenues for the city down and the next thing you will hear from the Ames City Council is a tax increase. That is not acceptable and neither is the smoking ban.

Matt Grewe

Sophomore

Meteorology