Philadelphians eating out may soon be able to breathe a little easier -- if Mayor John Street gets his way. Street's proposal, to which the City Council should give serious consideration in the coming weeks, would ban smoking in all Philadelphia restaurants, bars and other public spaces.
If the ban passes, Philadelphia would join a growing number of states and municipalities from Maine to California that have nixed smoking in eating establishments. Just this week, the Italian government passed a national ban on smoking in public. In the coming week city councils in Denver and Omaha, Neb., will hear similar proposals.
At issue is the health and well-being of everyone who dines out in the city.
Smoking has repeatedly been shown to be a leading cause of cancer, and few -- save for possibly a handful of tobacco companies -- question its ill effects.
While any ban of this nature places limits on restaurant and tavern owners' rights to conduct business as they see fit, the greater public-health concern far outweighs the cost. And since the ban would affect any establishment serving food, there would be little lost business from customers simply visiting "smoker-friendly" eateries.
A smoking ban also improves the working conditions for employees who spend their entire workday in that environment.
It's about time the city cleared the air.
