ST. LOUIS COUNTY • Smokers' rights advocate Bill Hannegan has sent letters to owners of all 135 establishments in the county that hold exemptions to the countywide smoking ban, urging them to protest a proposal that would remove almost all exemptions to the ban.
Last week, County Councilman Mike O'Mara, D-Florissant, introduced a bill to make the ban more strict.
O’Mara said his proposal was designed to “level the playing field” for businesses that don’t have the exemptions.
After introducing the bill, O’Mara referred it to committee for study.
Hannegan, of St. Louis, is the director of Keep St. Louis Free and perhaps the staunchest defender of smoking rights in the region.
His letter states, in part: “St. Louis County bar owner, if you, your patrons and your staff protest the theft of your exemption, the chances are very good that Councilman O'Mara will restore your bar's exemptions to his ordinance and the Council will vote down any law that does not exempt your establishment.”
Paul Hampel covers St. Louis County for the Post-Dispatch.
