Gov. Culver signs Iowa Smoke-free Air Act

Iowa Gov. Chet Culver signed a smoking ban into law on April 15 that prohibits smoking in nearly all public areas. The ban will take effect July 1.

“The bottom line is this bill will save lives, plain and simple, and I am happy to sign it today,” said Culver at the bill-signing ceremony.

Spaces affected by the new ban include outdoor areas at restaurants, private residences used for child care, seating areas around sporting events, bowling alleys, taxis, public transit platforms and school grounds.

The law also prohibits smoking on the grounds of state universities. Iowa State University students and faculty will not be able to smoke within 25 feet of a campus building or on the sidewalks across the campus.

University of Northern Iowa’s campus-wide smoking ban was set to begin July 1, 2009, but instead it will come into effect a year sooner.

Smoking is still allowed in private residences and vehicles, casino gaming floors, outdoor areas of bars, bicycle trails, outdoor malls, designated smoking rooms of hotels, stores selling primarily tobacco products and private clubs with no employees when not used by the public.

Restaurant and bar owners are among those whose business will be most affected by the ban.

“The ban is unnecessary,” said Harry Kreutzer, owner of the Decorah bar Roscoe’s. “Eighty percent of establishments are already smoke-free. People who choose to work at or go to the remaining twenty percent know what kind of environment they’re going into.”

Kreutzer does not anticipate a significant decrease in business at Roscoe’s, though.

“[The ban] will make the most difference for the after-work crowd,” he said. “It might mean the difference between them leaving after two drinks instead of staying for three or four. I don’t think it will affect the college crowd at all.”

Bar-goers are still allowed to smoke in outdoor areas of bars, but many Luther students are looking forward to the different indoor atmosphere.

“I’m glad the ban is going into effect,” said Mychal Schweizer (‘09). “[The second-hand smoke] was always a reason to say ‘I don’t want to go to the bar’ because when you wake up in the morning, just the smell of you or your clothes could almost make you sick.”

Eli Pollock (‘08) agreed.

“People can decide for themselves whether they want to smoke or not,” he said. “But personally I’m going to enjoy not smelling like smoke when I leave the bar.”

The ban is one in a series of steps the state of Iowa has taken to restrict smoking. First was the 1991 law that made purchasing cigarettes illegal for those under the age of 18. The second step was a ban on cigarette vending machines, enacted in 1997. Last year’s $1 per pack increase in the cigarette tax was the third step.

Iowa was the 28th state to enact a ban that addresses indoor smoking. Other states that have such laws in effect include the neighboring states of Illinois, Minnesota and South Dakota.

The law will be enforced through fines for violations. Anyone caught smoking in a banned area will face a $50 fine. Business owners or caretakers of public places who do not enforce the law will be fined $100 for the first violation, $200 for the second and $500 for any other violations within the same year. Restaurants or bars could also have their liquor licenses suspended or revoked if there are smoking violations.