No opposition at Senate statewide smoking ban hearing

Publication Date: 2010-02-22

• Author:Emily Coleman
• Publication:The Missourian

No opposition came before the Senate Judiciary Committee to protest a proposed statewide smoking ban Monday evening.

The bill would prohibit smoking in public places, including restaurants, shopping malls and sports arenas. It is more comprehensive than the smoking ban that was passed in St. Louis City and County, which exempts casinos and bars where food sales are less than 25 percent of overall sales.

The state ban would supersede any city bans.

"Secondhand smoke is a toxin," said Jason Sharp, Phelps County Regional Medical Center's director of radiation oncology.

He was one of many who pushed the negative effects of secondhand smoke at the hearing.