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Proposed ban on smoking in public places in Missouri sparks debate  

A bipartisan pair of St. Louis County state representatives have introduced legislation that would ban smoking in all bars, restaurants, casinos and workplaces in Missouri.

The legislators say a statewide ban is needed to protect non-smokers from the harmful health and financial effects of secondhand smoke exposure.

"It's not really a ban on smoking," said Rep. Jill Schupp, the lead Democratic sponsor of the bill. "It's taking smoking out of public places to protect the patrons and the people who work in those places."

But Jeremiah Gill, a local filmmaker and patron of Patton Alley Pub, disagrees. . . .

In November, 65 percent of St. Louis County voters approved an indoor smoking ban for most public places.

"With that kind of mandate, I felt like it was something we ought to consider statewide," said Rep. Walt Bivins, the bill's main Republican sponsor.

Since the state's three largest cities -- Kansas City, St. Louis and Springfield -- each have some form of indoor smoking ban, Bivins said there should be "one uniform ban" to make the varying rules less confusing.

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