Elk Grove eyes ban on selling cigarettes
By Richard Wronski, Tribune staff reporter. Freelance reporters Mark Shuman, Dean Geroulis and Carolyn Rusin contributed to this report
Published January 12, 2006
Worried that measures to limit smoking don't go far enough, Elk Grove Village officials are considering banning the sale of cigarettes, apparently the first time that has been seriously proposed in Illinois, experts said.
Mayor Craig Johnson said the village would be hypocritical to consider a current proposal to restrict smoking in bars and restaurants without going after cigarettes themselves.
"If we think smoking is so detrimental to the community that we should ban it, then we should think about a ban on selling cigarettes," Johnson said Wednesday after formally proposing the idea Tuesday to the Village Board.
Illinois law prohibits the sale of cigarettes to anyone under 18. Experts were unaware of any community prohibiting their sale completely, although proposals had been considered--and rejected--in Winthrop, Mass., and in the Indiana House of Representatives in 1997.
Elk Grove Village's proposal came as Des Plaines and Park Ridge considered tighter limits Wednesday on smoking in public places. In Chicago, most public places are to become smoke-free Monday.
Des Plaines officials rejected a ban on smoking in restaurants and public buildings, citing little support.
"My wife won't allow smoking in my house, and she has a lot more sway than government agencies," said Brian Burkross, one of about 45 residents and restaurant owners and managers who spoke against restricting smoking.
On Wednesday night, the Park Ridge City Council's Procedures and Regulations Committee recommended adoption of an ordinance banning smoking in all public buildings. The ordinance is expected to go to the City Council on Jan. 23.
If approved, it would go into effect in 60 days. Bar areas of restaurants would have six months to implement the ban. Stand-alone bars are not allowed in Park Ridge.
"This is more than an annoyance, this is a health issue," said Ald. Kirke Machon.
The proposal drew little opposition, with only three of the city's roughly 100 food-service establishments represented. Owners of those restaurants sought to have their bar areas exempted from the ordinance.
Machon said his research turned up no adverse economic effects from smoking bans in other communities.
Wednesday's actions were spurred by a new state law effective Jan. 1 that opened the way for more communities to enact tougher restrictions on public smoking.
Last month, Deerfield passed an ordinance banning smoking in public places and workspaces, which advocates call the toughest in the country.
Although municipalities receive significant revenue from cigarette sales, Johnson said, "People should start waking up and stop worrying about collecting taxes off cigarettes and do what is right."
Five years ago, Elk Grove Village became the first community in Illinois and the second in the nation to require all people--no matter their age--to show identification when purchasing liquor.
Johnson said the policy has successfully eliminated the problem of underage alcohol purchases.
Officials with the American Lung Association and the Illinois Coalition Against Tobacco welcomed the Elk Grove Village proposal, saying they were unaware of any other community banning cigarette sales.
"It's heartening to see a community say they won't have anything to do with the sale of cigarettes," said Janet Williams, spokeswoman for the coalition.
Merchants are likely to fight being told what they can or cannot sell, said Rob Karr, vice president of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association.
Elk Grove Village officials will consider the cigarette-sale ban and a restriction on public smoking during a series of meetings starting Wednesday.
"This is a legitimate product, like it or not," Karr said. "Where does this stop? There's a myriad of products that can be abused. Twinkies, ice cream, all to a certain amount are not good for you. Is the next step in the obesity battle a ban on the sale of ice cream?"
Stanley Magnuszewski, owner of Turner Liquors at Turner Avenue and Arlington Heights Road, said banning cigarette sales would hurt his business.
"Pretty soon the government will dictate what you can eat," he said. "As long as they are making them, we should be able to sell them."
