Port Arthur, Texas Approves Smoking Ban for Restaurants and Bars
Restaurants and bars in the south Texas town of Port Arthur will have to pack up their ashtrays, as the city council approved a smoking ban for those establishments on Tuesday night.
The proposal came from Councilwoman Tiffany Hamilton and according to a report from KFDM.com, got vocal support at the meeting from numerous community residents, including health professionals, law enforcement and teachers.
Additionally, smoking is now banned in all indoor workplaces without exception, as well as in private clubs. A 25-foot no smoking boundary will go into effect around entrances, windows and ventilation systems of workplaces, while a 15-foot no smoking boundary applies to the outdoor seating areas of restaurants and bars. Smoking is also prohibited in all outdoor recreation area and their adjacent parking lots. Violators will be subject to a $50 fine, while business owners can face a $100 fine for a first violation of allowing smoking, which then escalates to $250 for a second violation and $500 for a third violation within one year. The city can also elect to revoke the business license of an establishment which allows smoking.
The ban goes into effect immediately upon publication.
Port Arthur is located 90 miles east of Houston and has a population of approximately 55,000 people.
Patrick Lagreid
I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for Major League Baseball, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.
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