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The controversial and emotional issue of a public smoking ban is under heated debate among the City Commission, business owners, and smoking and non-smoking residents. One on side are smokers and some business owners, on the other are non-smokers, health officials and other business owners. Lawrence could join the ranks of towns from New York City to Salina in banning smoking, but the outcome is still hazy.

City's smoking ban survives first legal fight
Saturday, April 16, 2005
The city's public smoking ban has withstood its first court challenge. Municipal Judge Randy McGrath on Friday ruled the ban was constitutional. But he also signaled that prosecutors will have a tough time enforcing the law -- finding Lawrence club owner Dennis Steffes not guilty in four of five cases where he was charged with letting customers of Coyote's Night Club and Last Call smoke in violation of the ban.

Study: As town drops cigarettes, heart attacks also drop
Saturday, April 16, 2005
It came to be called the "Helena heart miracle." In the city of Helena, Mont., two doctors published a now-famous 2002 study showing that hospital admissions for heart attacks dropped dramatically after a city smoking ban took effect.

City's smoking ban found constitutional
Friday, April 15, 2005
(Updated Friday at 8:43 a.m.) This city's smoking ban is constitutional, a municipal judge ruled this morning. But Judge Randy McGrath signaled that prosecutors will have a tough time enforcing the law -- finding Lawrence club owner Dennis Steffes not guilty in four of five cases where he was charged with letting customers of Coyote's and Last Call smoke in violation of the ban.

Montana, once Marlboro Country, passes statewide smoking ban
Friday, April 8, 2005
Montana, which has served as Marlboro Country in magazine ads depicting rugged cowboys puffing on cigarettes while riding a fence line, is about to outlaw smoking just about everywhere but the great outdoors.

Smoking ban proposal lights up debate across Nebraska
Friday, April 8, 2005
Sen. Mike Friend of Omaha says Nebraska is full of hypocrites when it comes to smoking. On one hand, he said Thursday during debate on a statewide smoking ban, many cities are trying to curtail -- if not eliminate -- smoking in public. On the other, he said, they clamor for the millions of dollars in tobacco tax money they get each year.

LakeView Manor residents defying city smoking ban
Tuesday, April 5, 2005
Rebecca Hall lives at Lawrence's LakeView Manor nursing home and takes her comforts where she can find them.

Moratorium sought on sidewalk dining areas
Saturday, March 26, 2005
Members of the city's Historic Resources Commission fear a land rush to gobble up the city's downtown sidewalks is about to begin, and they're asking city commissioners to at least temporarily put a halt to it.

City filing defends smoking ban
Wednesday, March 16, 2005
A lawsuit by a Lawrence bar owner claiming the city's smoking ban is unconstitutional is nothing more than misplaced frustration over the ban's effect on his sales, city officials argue in new legal documents.

House mulls proposal for state smoking ban
Thursday, March 10, 2005
A bill aimed at eliminating smoking in public places statewide starting in 2007 was reviewed Wednesday by a House committee whose chairman is pushing the idea.

Smoking ban exception granted
Wednesday, March 9, 2005
Lawrence city commissioners gave tentative approval to one exception to the city's smoking ban Tuesday night and almost immediately were asked to consider another.

Commission to consider smoking ban modifications
Saturday, March 5, 2005
The city's smoking ban soon may change the look of historic downtown streets. City commissioners on Tuesday will consider a proposal that would allow smokers, with beer in hand, to take refuge from the city's smoking ban on downtown sidewalks.

Smoking ban is model for state proposal
Tuesday, March 1, 2005
A powerful state legislator is using Lawrence as his model for a bill that would ban smoking in workplaces across Kansas.

Bars, not smokers, punished by ban
Friday, January 28, 2005
Smokers, even when they're caught red-handed by fire department officials, are almost never issued a ticket as part of the city's smoking ban, court testimony revealed Thursday.

Smoke ban put to legal test
Thursday, January 27, 2005
A Lawrence bar owner has reignited the debate over the city's smoking ban by filing a legal motion in Municipal Court claiming the ban is unconstitutional.

State control of smoking bans sought in Nebraska
Thursday, January 20, 2005
Concerned that Nebraska could end up with a hodgepodge of local smoking bans, a lawmaker wants to put the issue under state control.

Smoking compromise fizzles
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
Lawrence city commissioners Tuesday night snuffed out any talk of a compromise that would allow smoking inside bars and restaurants.

Smoking ban opponents challenge safety concerns
Monday, December 13, 2004
Chuck Magerl thinks supporters of Lawrence's smoking ban are going overboard in their effort to protect bar and restaurant workers from the health risks posed by secondhand cigarette smoke.

Smoking ban likely here to stay
Saturday, December 4, 2004
Lawrence's citywide smoking ban appears to be staying on the books. The coalition gathering signatures to overturn the ban said Friday it would not pursue a referendum on the issue, opting instead to work with the City Commission on a compromise.

Buyers extend downtown investment
Saturday, December 4, 2004
A downtown building and its two hot commodities -- a "grandfathered" liquor license and an expansive outdoor patio that permits smoking -- has been sold to a group of Lawrence investors for $800,000.

Commissioners not backing off smoking ban
Friday, December 3, 2004
(Updated Friday at 5:48 p.m.) Lawrence's city-wide smoking ban appears to be staying on the books. The coalition gathering signatures to overturn the ban said Friday it would not pursue a referendum on the issue, opting instead to work with the Lawrence City Commission on a compromise.

Smoking ban vote unlikely
Friday, December 3, 2004
Members of the Lawrence bar and hospitality industry are expected to announce today they will not seek a March 1 election to overturn the city's controversial smoking ban.

The smoking ban rocks
Friday, December 3, 2004
I started performing music in bars before I was old enough to drink in them. Oddly enough, it inspired very little interest in drinking. At least I was old enough to buy cigarettes. Although this hardly mattered in my former career as a full-time musician, because smoking became the bane of my existence.

Kansas City OKs limited smoking ban
Wednesday, November 24, 2004
The Kansas City Council voted 8-5 Tuesday to pass a limited smoking ban for restaurants, bars and many other public places.

Smoking ban foes appeal to city
Wednesday, November 17, 2004
A chorus of complaints from restaurant and bar owners has led Lawrence city commissioners to consider a compromise proposal that would lift the city's controversial smoking ban.

As cold weather creeps closer, veteran questions smoking ban
Tuesday, November 16, 2004
Speedy takes one more sip of his whiskey and Coke and decides it's time to light one up. It's 2:45 p.m. on a Friday.

Numbers fuel debate on smoking ban effect
Monday, November 15, 2004
Lawrence's smoking ban is becoming a numbers game. As the smoke cleared from indoor public places after the ban was passed in July, opponents and proponents began looking at numbers -- of customers, drinking establishments and businesses blaming the ban for failure -- to determine the real impact.

K.C. to vote on smoke-free law
Monday, November 15, 2004
Anti-smoking advocates are pushing an ambitious proposal that would ban smoking in public places on both sides of the state line in the Kansas City metropolitan area.

Hereford House on brink of closing
Saturday, November 13, 2004
The state's biggest restaurant may be about to close, its owner says. And he's counting on Lawrence voters to help breathe new life into the place by repealing the city's smoking ban, which he says is draining $10,000 a week from his Hereford House restaurant at Sixth Street and Wakarusa Drive.

City commission reluctant to reconsider smoking ban
Wednesday, November 10, 2004
Lawrence city commissioners seemed reluctant to consider a compromise to the city's smoking ban after hearing Tuesday evening from a longtime bar owner who said business was suffering.

Sebelius calls for 50-cent tax increase on cigarettes
Tuesday, November 9, 2004
(Updated Tuesday at 11:13 a.m.) The state's cigarette tax would jump 50 cents a pack to finance health coverage for currently uninsured Kansans under initiatives Gov. Kathleen Sebelius announced Tuesday.

Smoke vote pattern hazy
Thursday, November 4, 2004
Supporters and opponents of Lawrence's smoking ban took comfort in how voters across the country responded to six key elections involving similar smoking bans.

Bar wants to reshape downtown for smokers
Saturday, October 23, 2004
Jerry Neverve figures the Lawrence City Commission dramatically changed his business when it banned smoking in public places. Now he wants to change the architecture of historic downtown Lawrence in response.

Smoking ban kicks habit out into public space
Monday, October 4, 2004
Lawrence's 3-month-old smoking ban has cleared the air inside the city's bars and restaurants, but is filling downtown sidewalks with litter and profanity, Lawrence residents and business owners say.

K.C. metro area considers public smoking ban proposal
Sunday, September 19, 2004
Every workplace and indoor public place in the metropolitan area could be smoke-free by Memorial Day 2005 -- with no exceptions and no ventilated loopholes.

Smoking law wins plaudits, scorn
Wednesday, September 15, 2004
A national anti-smoking group is honoring Lawrence for the city's new ban on smoking in indoor public places, but opponents still are vowing an electoral challenge to the law.

Smoking ban's effects still unclear
Saturday, July 31, 2004
Sunday marks the one-month anniversary of the citywide indoor smoking ban. But bar and restaurant operators say it is too soon to know what the ban has meant for business. "You know we don't have the first full month of business completed, so it's really hard to say; it bounces back and forth from day to day," said Chuck Magerl, owner of Free State Brewing Co., 636 Mass.

Congressman Moran takes part in online chat
Monday, July 19, 2004
(Updated Monday at 3:17 p.m.) U.S. Rep. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., who represents the "Big 1st" congressional district, participated in an online chat this morning with ljworld.com readers, touching on such topics as Lawrence's smoking ban, the draft and Thomas Frank's book, "What's the Matter with Kansas?"

Campus cigarette sales ban sought
Wednesday, July 14, 2004
Energized by a citywide smoking ban, Kansas University health advocates are hoping to find new ways to deter smoking on campus.

Smoking ban's effects still cloudy
Thursday, July 8, 2004
Business is down as much as 25 percent at some Lawrence bars and restaurants since a smoking ban took effect a week ago today. A random survey of about a dozen bars and restaurants found about half where sales have suffered since the ordinance, which bans smoking in virtually all enclosed public places, became law.

Lincoln smoking ban called a success
Sunday, July 4, 2004
Some restaurant managers were holding their breath this week to see how their patrons would react to the city's new smoking ban.

Tobacco prohibition draws mixed reaction on first day
Friday, July 2, 2004
Clean air advocates celebrated the first day of Lawrence's smoking ban, breathing deeply in the city's newly smoke-free restaurants and bars.

At stroke of midnight, it's outside for smokers
Wednesday, June 30, 2004
At midnight tonight, indoor smoking at most public places will become illegal in Lawrence.

Restaurant gets head start on smoking restrictions
Wednesday, June 30, 2004
Shawn Harrel sat down for dinner at La Familia Café and Cantina and noticed something was missing.

Smoking ban's opponents kick off drive to force vote
Wednesday, June 9, 2004
The battle is officially on against a smoking ban that will take effect next month in Lawrence.

Smoking ban opponents ready to fight City Hall
Saturday, June 5, 2004
Let the signing begin.

Effort to put smoking ban on ballot begins Tuesday
Friday, June 4, 2004
(Updated Friday at 2:05 p.m.) Opponents of the city's new smoking ban will gather Tuesday to kick off a petition drive that would force the issue to a citywide referendum.

City Commissioner Sue Hack takes part in online chat
Wednesday, June 2, 2004
(Updated Friday at 3:18 p.m.) Lawrence City Commissioner Sue Hack took part in an online chat today, responding to questions about Sixth Street, fireworks, the smoking ban and her own effort to quit smoking.

Petition to challenge smoking ban
Monday, May 31, 2004
Nancy Hadley wants to sign the petition to overturn the soon-to-be ban on smoking in Lawrence workplaces, but being a Baldwin resident, her name on the petition wouldn't count.

Outside dining rush begins
Friday, May 21, 2004
"Smoking or nonsmoking?" is often the first question Lawrence diners hear upon entering a restaurant. It might soon be replaced with a new query: "Indoors or outdoors?"

Smoking petition's chances hazy
Friday, May 14, 2004
How easy is it to collect nearly 4,000 signatures? It depends on whom you ask. Opponents of the city's new smoking ban in most public buildings say it should be no problem. They must collect 3,764 signatures from registered Lawrence voters by August to force a citywide referendum on the issue in November.

Smoking ban not waiting on vote
Wednesday, May 12, 2004
The city won't delay enforcement of a smoking ban past July 1 despite bar and restaurant owners' request to wait until after an expected citywide referendum in November.

Smoking ban opponents ask for enforcement delay
Tuesday, May 11, 2004
(Updated Tuesday at 2:45 p.m.) Lawrence city commissioners will be asked tonight to delay implementation of the smoking ban until a citywide referendum can be held on the issue.

City smoking ban OK'd; opponents vow to force vote
Wednesday, May 5, 2004
The Lawrence City Commission's vote is on the books. But the smoking debate may just be getting warmed up, and the city's voters soon could have their say.

Smoking ban more than a year in the making
Wednesday, May 5, 2004
A timeline of events leading to approval of a smoking ban.

Smoking likely to meet demise
Monday, May 3, 2004
Smoking in Lawrence bars and restaurants would be banned July 1 under an ordinance to be considered Tuesday by the Lawrence City Commission.

Kline speaks on liquor sales, gay marriage and smoking bans in online chat
Thursday, April 29, 2004
(Updated Friday at 3:20 p.m.) The following is the transcript of an online chat with Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline, which took place Thursday, April 29.

Smoking ban may go to voters, despite city
Sunday, April 25, 2004
Former Mayor Marty Kennedy is delighted the Lawrence City Commission is contemplating direct democracy. He just wishes it had happened sooner.

Bella Lounge experiments with smoke-free environment
Saturday, April 24, 2004
Deb Teeter loves coming to the Bella Lounge, 925 Iowa, because it is not too loud, you can have a nice conversation with someone and it is smoke-free.

Kentucky high court upholds city's contested smoking ban
Friday, April 23, 2004
Gone are the days of smoky bars and pool halls in Lexington, long known as the burley tobacco capital of the world.

Vote on ban may go up in smoke
Thursday, April 22, 2004
A key Lawrence commissioner said Wednesday he was having second thoughts about voters deciding the fate of a proposed smoking ban. Commissioner Boog Highberger, who on Tuesday proposed a referendum on the issue, said he was willing to reconsider the matter and would vote for a workplace smoking ban if commissioners decided not to go ahead with a citywide vote.

Web chats detail smoking ban contentions
Thursday, April 22, 2004
The debate over a proposed smoking ban for Lawrence bars and restaurants went online Wednesday during a pair of separate but dueling chats with Journal-World readers.

Smoking ban put in voters' hands
Wednesday, April 21, 2004
The voters will decide. Maybe. The Lawrence City Commission on Tuesday ducked a decision on banning smoking in public places, including bars and restaurants, deciding instead to put the issue directly to a citywide vote.

Chat online today about the city's proposed smoking ban
Wednesday, April 21, 2004
(Updated Friday at 3:21 p.m.) Two leaders in the opposing camps of Lawrence's smoking ban debate will take part in separate online chats this afternoon on ljworld.com.

Restaurant owner chats online about smoking ban
Wednesday, April 21, 2004
(Updated Friday at 3:21 p.m.) Chuck Magerl, owner of Free State Brewery in Lawrence and a smoking-ban opponent, chatted online with ljworld.com readers.

Cardiologist chats online about smoking ban
Wednesday, April 21, 2004
(Updated Friday at 3:22 p.m.) Dr. John Hiebert, a Lawrence cardiologist and proponent of a smoking ban in places of employment, chatted with ljworld.com readers.

Task force chair supports smoking ban
Tuesday, April 20, 2004
As chair of a Mayor's Task Force on Environmental Tobacco Smoke, I have, during the past year, accumulated and studied a large amount of information pertaining to secondhand tobacco smoke. My review of scientific research has convinced me that nonsmokers suffer a wide range of adverse health consequences due to the smoke exhaled from the lungs of smokers or from the end of lit cigarettes.

Smoke barrier
Tuesday, April 20, 2004

Smoking rights
Monday, April 19, 2004

Patriot Act, smoking ban on agenda
Monday, April 19, 2004
The Lawrence City Commission will take up two hot topics: a resolution condemning the Patriot Act and a proposed ordinance that would end smoking in bars and restaurants.

No-smoke areas
Thursday, April 15, 2004

Public smoking battles ignite
Wednesday, April 14, 2004
The fight over secondhand smoke is heating up anew. One study, which is likely to be published in the next few days, is expected to show a decrease in health problems when workplaces in one Montana town went smoke-free.

Smoking ban
Sunday, April 11, 2004

Mayor questioned on smoking, Wal-Mart
Friday, April 9, 2004
Questions about a proposed ban on smoking in Lawrence bars and restaurants dominated an online chat Thursday between Journal-World readers and Mayor Mike Rundle. Rundle reaffirmed his support for such a ban, saying it would protect the health of workers in those establishments. He rejected calls to put the issue to a citywide vote. The Lawrence City Commission, he suggested, will decide the matter.

Proponents of smoking ban urge supporters to be vocal with City Hall
Thursday, April 8, 2004
Lawrence city commissioners may find their e-mail addresses overflowing with letters from smoking-ban advocates during the next few weeks. More than 60 people attending a public forum Wednesday night about the hazards of secondhand smoke were urged to e-mail commissioners and express their opinions about banning smoking in the workplace. The forum was organized by the group Clean Air Lawrence.

Smoking restrictions gain city support
Wednesday, April 7, 2004
A majority of Lawrence city commissioners now favors restrictions on smoking in bars and restaurants. As recently as last week, Mike Rundle had proclaimed himself undecided on the issue. On Tuesday, though --the day he was elected mayor by his fellow commissioners -- Rundle said he favored a ban to protect workers from secondhand smoke.

Smoking ban now has majority support
Tuesday, April 6, 2004
(Updated Friday at 12:21 p.m.) A smoking ban for bars and restaurants now has the support of a majority of Lawrence city commissioners. Commissioner Mike Rundle told the Journal-World on Tuesday afternoon that health research provided by advocates of a ban is "pretty compelling." A ban, he said, would keep restaurant and bar workers from suffering the effects of secondhand smoke.

Secondhand smoke a public health issue
Sunday, April 4, 2004
April 5-11 is National Public Health Week and while many steps have been taken to improve public health, several significant challenges remain. One such challenge is addressing the dangers of secondhand smoke.

Ban's future still up in smoke
Thursday, April 1, 2004
Caught between crowds of health advocates and bar owners, a slim majority of Lawrence city commissioners continues to be undecided about a possible ban on smoking in bars and restaurants. "I think my thoughts are clouded by the (political) buzzsaw," Commissioner Mike Rundle said.

Smoke-free model
Thursday, April 1, 2004

Entire Smoky Valley High School student body to get laptops
Wednesday, March 31, 2004
Smoky Valley High School is much quieter since the central-Kansas district decided to buy 340 laptop computers for students.

North Lawrence bar tries smokeless route
Saturday, March 27, 2004
The no-smoking policy at a new Lawrence bar is not a fleeting fancy. But a pair of rickshaws hauling bar patrons over the Kansas River bridge may be.

Smoking 'studies' misleading
Saturday, March 20, 2004
It may come as a surprise to some folks that the information gathered from advocacy sites on the Internet may have a peculiar bias and not be a reliable source of wisdom or scientific knowledge. In the past year of service on the Mayor's Task Force on Smoking, I have spent between 300-350 hours of research, some of it studying the advocacy sites so prominently available to us through common search engines.

Nonsmoking line
Saturday, March 20, 2004

Smoking ban opponents organize
Wednesday, March 3, 2004
Back in the late 1990s, Shaun Trenholm started a bar, Second Wind, that catered to nonsmokers. It promptly went out of business. "We didn't make jack doo-dah," said Trenholm, who owns the more successful West Coast Saloon at 2222 Iowa, where smoking is allowed.

Hays rejects smoking ban
Saturday, February 28, 2004
Diners who like to light up after a meal gained a victory when city commissioners could not agree on the language of a proposed ban on smoking in the city's restaurants.

Hutchinson approves smoking ban
Thursday, February 26, 2004
Beginning next year, smokers in this central Kansas community will no longer be able to light up in some restaurants.

Restaurants, bars fear smoke ban would snuff business
Monday, February 16, 2004
As a father, Jeff Webb is in favor of banning smoking in Lawrence's restaurants and bars. But "as a business owner, it would be suicide," he said last week, unless the ban were universally implemented across the city -- or the state. Webb, who owns the smoker-friendly Jefferson's Restaurant, 743 Mass., and others like him are caught in the midst of a fierce debate about whether to prohibit smoking in some public places.

Smoking prohibited
Tuesday, February 10, 2004
Douglas County students are taking aim at tobacco with a new weapon: a bowling ball. Elementary students from Kennedy, Woodlawn and Pinckney schools bowled while learning about the dangers of tobacco use last week at Royal Crest Lanes, 933 Iowa. The event was sponsored by Douglas County Students Against Smoking.

Smoking ban crusade gets in high gear
Sunday, February 8, 2004
An anti-smoking group that's been working behind the scenes since fall is about to go public -- and ratcheting up the pressure on the city to ban smoking in all public places. The group of about 70 people calls itself Clean Air Lawrence, and it has declared war on secondhand tobacco smoke.

Smoking ban gains steam
Saturday, February 7, 2004
City commissioners have reached a deal on an ordinance that would restrict smoking in restaurants, retail stores and bowling alleys.

Anti-smoking plan includes tax increase on cigarettes
Wednesday, February 4, 2004
Four former surgeons general on Tuesday unveiled a plan to reduce smoking that included a $2-per-pack tax they predicted would prompt at least 5 million smokers to quit.

Smoking ban
Wednesday, February 4, 2004

Scott City rejects request to ban smoking
Wednesday, January 21, 2004
The city council has rejected a plea from a group of high school students to ban smoking in the city's nine restaurants.

Task force studies smoking ban
Wednesday, January 14, 2004
The controversial and emotional issue of a public smoking ban may soon be back in the hands of the Lawrence City Commission. After nearly a year of trying to see through the haze that surrounds the issue, a special task force appointed by Mayor David Dunfield expects to present commissioners with a series of options to consider.

6News video: Smoking soon to be on agenda at city hall
Wednesday, January 14, 2004
The task force on public smoking, which has studied the issue for nearly a year, will soon be ready to present its opinions to the City Commission.

6News video: Clean Air Lawrence Coalition wants to stamp out smoking
Friday, January 9, 2004
The coalition seeks to have clean air regulations for all buildings in Lawrence. They are using New York City and California ordinances as a model.

Students propose ban on smoking
Thursday, December 18, 2003
A group of high school students has convinced the City Council to consider an ordinance that would ban smoking in Scott City restaurants.

Smoke statistics
Thursday, November 6, 2003

Hotels changing over to totally smoke-free
Friday, September 19, 2003
Smokers are finding there is no room at the inn anymore.

Smoke hazards
Tuesday, August 19, 2003

No safe smoke
Tuesday, August 5, 2003

Businesses already free of smoke as ban studied
Wednesday, July 30, 2003
The owners of Marisco's Grill and Bar and Bella Lounge don't need City Hall to ban smoking at their establishments. They did it on their own. "I saw that there was a niche that wasn't being filled out there," said Rob Farha, owner of Bella Lounge. "That's the idea of competition."

6News video: Two businesses not waiting for smoking ban
Wednesday, July 30, 2003
Marisco's Grill and Bar and the Bella Lounge have decided to operate as smoke-free establishments.

Chemical fire sends smoke sailing through sky
Saturday, July 19, 2003
A mechanical failure sparked a chemical fire Friday at a plant at the edge of North Lawrence, spewing billowing plumes of smoke but causing no injuries. The fire occurred about 11:20 a.m. at Peak Chemical, a phosphorous pentasulfide plant adjacent to Astaris, 440 N. Ninth St. The plant's product, known as P2S5, is used as a lubricant in motor oil.

Lyons enacts restaurant smoking restrictions
Wednesday, July 9, 2003
Time is running out for smokers to light up in the four restaurants in this central Kansas town.

Bar serves up no-smoking policy
Thursday, May 29, 2003
Lawrence bar owner Rob Farha spent nearly three months remodeling the former FiFi's Restaurant building at Ninth and Iowa streets into an upscale cocktail lounge.
When he opened The Bella Lounge, 925 Iowa, two weeks ago, he made one last interior design decision -- no ashtrays.

Hutchinson smoking-ban vote requires separate election
Sunday, May 4, 2003
Hutchinson's planned advisory vote on a smoking ban in restaurants may be in jeopardy because of a rule that would require the city to have a separate panel oversee the election.

Hutchinson to vote on smoking ban
Thursday, May 1, 2003
This south-central Kansas city has become the latest community in the state to take a look at snuffing out smoking in restaurants.

Smoking ban
Sunday, April 27, 2003

Smoking or non?
Tuesday, April 22, 2003
Lawrence's new mayor will appoint a task force to try to help city commissioners answer this question on behalf of local restaurant and bar patrons.

Smoking ban in city restaurants weighed
Saturday, April 19, 2003
Morgan Reedy spent Friday afternoon at Free State Brewery, smoking a cigarette while he shared drinks and food with a pair of friends.

6News video: Task force to look into smoking ban
Saturday, April 19, 2003
6News reports on the task force that was formed to determine the pros and cons of a smokin ban in Lawrence.

N.Y.C. begins smoking ban in nightclubs
Sunday, March 30, 2003
In a smoke-choked Manhattan tavern, Cynthia Candiotti asked a neighbor for a light and took a deep drag on her cigarette, savoring a last barstool puff before the city outlawed smoking in bars and nightclubs.

No smoking
Thursday, March 13, 2003

No smoking
Wednesday, March 5, 2003

Smoking ban
Thursday, February 6, 2003

Guide lists area restaurants where smoking has been banned
Wednesday, January 29, 2003
Of the 327 licensed eating establishments in Douglas County, 62 are completely smoke-free, according to a newly released pocket guide produced by a local health organization.

Smoke free restaurants
Wednesday, January 29, 2003
The following restaurants are smoke free.

6News video: Guide lists smoke free restaurants
Wednesday, January 29, 2003
6News reports on the Smoke Free Restaurant Guide being published by the Douglas County Health Improvement project.

Smoking ban
Sunday, January 19, 2003

U. of Michigan to go smoke-free
Wednesday, January 15, 2003
The University of Michigan will join the ranks of hundreds of schools nationwide this fall when it bans smoking in its residence halls.

City not ready to fire up Salina-style smoking ban
Saturday, January 11, 2003
Every time he walks into a restaurant and catches a whiff of cigarette smoke, Lawrence City Commissioner Jim Henry turns around and walks out.

Smoking ban in restaurants begins in Salina
Friday, January 10, 2003
Salina's ban on smoking in restaurants went into effect Thursday, applauded by some and criticized by others who see it as an infringement on their rights.
The ordinance was approved eight months ago but delayed by a petition drive that put the matter to a vote in November. Voters favored the smoking ban 59 percent to 41 percent.

Smoking-ban deal reached in New York
Thursday, December 12, 2002
Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the City Council reached agreement Wednesday on a ban that would prohibit smoking in nearly every bar and restaurant and virtually all workplaces.

Restaurant smoking limit delayed for further work
Wednesday, November 27, 2002
Smokers will be able to light up before 9 p.m. in Salina's restaurants for a while longer, because the city can't meet its self-imposed deadline for enacting the ordinance.

Salina voters uphold ban on smoking in restaurants
Wednesday, November 6, 2002
A ban on smoking in one city's restaurants survived a challenge Tuesday. Salina's ban on smoking in restaurants between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. daily came under attack as soon as the Salina City Commission passed the ordinance on a 3-2 vote in May.