B.G. fields data requests on public smoking ban

11/27/2001

BOWLING GREEN -- City Prosecutor Matt Reger said he has received a flood of calls relating to the city's new public smoking ban, but most have been from business owners wondering if they are affected.

“The No. 1 common question is, `Does it apply to me?' The next most common question: `If we set up a separate smoking place, what do we have to do?'” Mr. Reger said yesterday.

He received just one complaint about noncompliance since the ban went into effect at 12:01 a.m. Sunday. Voters approved the ordinance Nov. 6. It prohibits smoking in all public places except in restaurants with enclosed smoking areas and in bars that derive less than 35 percent of their income from food sales.

Mr. Reger said he will investigate all complaints and will send a letter and copy of the smoking ordinance to the offending business owner.