Junior Tommy Harnden must light a cigarette in front of Skippers Bar since the establishment of the law prohibitng smoking indoors. (Whitney Hofacker)
Oxford bars may be smoke free since the ban passed in the November elections, but that does not mean smoking students are shying aw ay from nighttime fun uptown.
Since the smoking ban went into effect Dec. 7 in Ohio, smokers have been forced to light up outside in all restaurants and bars. Yet Oxford restaurant and bar owners say they have not seen a significant decrease in sales so far.
"It's still too early to tell with the ban going into effect close to the start of the holiday season," said Brick Street Bar and Grill owner, Mark Weisman. "Fortunately for us with (an) outdoor patio ... people can go outside to smoke without leaving the building, which is very convenient."
Weisman said students have been understanding of the bar's compliance with the law and have refrained from smoking inside.
Though the state does not yet have any enforcement rules in place, uptown bar employees must ask smokers to step outside if they want to smoke. According to Weisman, this has not been a real problem at Brick Street.
But despite the lack of complaints about indoor smoking in Oxford, bars around Ohio are still dealing with violations, said Kristopher Weiss, spokesperson for the state Department of Health.
Under the law, patrons may not smoke in public places and businesses must remove ashtrays, as well as display "No Smoking" signs throughout the premises. If patrons see a violation of any of these stipulations, the Department of Health encourages them to call 1-866-559-OHIO to report the facility in question.
Weiss said Ohio is currently fielding complaints for violations of the indoor smoking ban through this hotline, which is set up to store information on businesses that still allow smoking.
"We are responding to those complaints with a formal letter reminding business owners of their obligation under the law," he said.
Weiss said the Ohio Department of Health has been notified of more than 14,000 potential violations, but cannot levy fines until completion of a public hearing by the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review. The committee will meet and seek public input to set enforcement laws at a date to be set later this spring.
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The law says the smoking ban enforcement rules must be in place by June 7, six months after initiation of the ban, but according to Weiss, the Ohio Department of Health hopes to make a decision on fines and policies before that date. Until then, restaurant and bar owners must use the honor system when sticking to the law.
Even so, Oxford business owners claim they have complied with the law and continue with business as usual.
Sgt. Jim Squance of the Oxford Police Department (OPD) said his force has not been called in to manage any problems in Oxford so far and has little jurisdiction because violations of the ban are not a criminal offense.
"The only way that we would get involved ... is if an employee asked someone to leave and they refused to leave, we could cite them for trespassing," he said, adding that the OPD has not issued any such citations.
Andrew Amarantos, owner of Skipper's Pub and Top Deck, said he does not mind following the law. According to
Amarantos, students still frequent his bars and even though the inside of the building does not smell of smoke, the outdoor patio is littered with cigarette butts.
"It's nice not to smell like a cigarette," he said. "(I think it's) something that is probably going to be continue and be expanded in other states."
Though sales and attendance in Oxford bars do not appear to be affected by the absence of smoke, students and residents whose nightly routine includes smoking may feel inconvenienced by the law.
Oxford resident Colin Boyle said the ban does not affect where he goes, but it does interrupt his night.
"I feel like I have to leave everyone at the bar, stop what I'm doing and go outside," Boyle said. "I feel like I miss out on a lot being a smoker and not going uptown and I definitely don't spend as much (money)."
But Oxford bar owners do not seem to think that the ban equals a loss of business, and nonsmoking patrons say they welcome the smoke-free atmosphere in Oxford.
Junior Aubrey Cobb enjoys not smelling of smoke after a night out uptown.
"(The ban) can't hurt the nonsmokers," she said. "I think it's fabulous because when you go out you don't have to be affected by the smokers and then you're more likely to go back (to the bar)."
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