A new smoking ban begins Wednesday for Marion County, and both restaurant owners and patrons have mixed feelings about it.

At Acapulco Joes on Illinois Street, lunch hour was bustling as usual for the restaurant’s first lunch hour without smoking. Smoker Chris White says he’s not bothered by the ban.

“I don’t mind it. I can still smoke outside; I can smoke in my house and personally I’m trying to quit so it helps me if I go out with my friends or something, because I don’t want that cigarette and I can’t have it,” he said.

Non-smoker Andy Wisong said the ban could even have a positive effect for some businesses. “I think you may see business pick up a little bit people who haven’t been going to restaurants because of the smoke may be coming out. And I think the smokers are going to adapt to it. They’ll smoke a little bit before they come in and run out and smoke before their order comes in and run back out and smoke before their dessert comes back in, but I’m hoping everybody will get along with it okay.”

Earlier Wednesday we spoke to the president of the Indiana Restaurant Hospitality Association. He says although he’s accepted the ban he’s still not happy about it.

“I happen to be a nonsmoker, but I think I ought to have the right to go into a smoking establishment or not. I don’t think the government ought to make that choice for me,” said John Livengood.

Livengood says there will be some violators who don’t know about the ban or choose not to accept it. The health department expects that to happen, and will be giving some leniency in the early days of the ban. After that, they will start looking for violators.

Other smoking bans taking effect soon are Carmel on March 5th, Greenwood on April 22nd and Delaware County on June 21st. Morgan County, Bloomington, Columbus, Fort Wayne and Jeffersonville already have bans in effect. Avon, Franklin, Johnson County and Shelbyville are all considering smoking bans.

Source: WishTV