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East Ridge Smoking

153 views · Published 21 June 2012 · 2:25 · Indexed 31 October 2026

Channel: WTVC NewsChannel 9 · 2012 · News & Politics

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by Alyssa SpiratoThe City of East Ridge is putting on the brakes when it comes smoking and using tobacco.The City Council voted in favor of the ban Thursday night, which would make smoking and using tobacco prohibited on city property."In the long term, I think that this ban will help us reduce those costs and save taxpayer money. And it will create a more pleasant atmosphere on our city property," says East Ridge City Manager, Tim Gobble.The ban would prohibit smoking and chewing tobacco at all city owned properties around East Ridge at places like Camp Jordan, and City Hall. Signs will tell the public about the ban. But city leaders say they don't intend to go overboard."if somebody is smoking or doing something tobacco wise they are not supposed to, we'll just nicely ask 'hey, we have a tobacco free park, and thats all,'" says Stump Martin, Parks and Recreation Director for East Ridge.But what they say they can't control is smoking on public streets or sidewalks."People that are smoking in their car don't have to worry about a police officer pulling up and saying anything," says Gobble.Several East Ridge residents tell NewsChannel9 they think it's a good idea. But some smokers are not ok with it."My husband and I were both smokers, reformed smokers, we had quit for many, many years. I look back on our experience and I really wish that we had never smoked around them," says Julie Born."They need to start finding other ways of coming up with money to pay for their little cars, and everything else they want to spend their money on, instead of worrying about charging people to smoke. And we have a right to wherever we want," says Tim Smith.Gobble says the ban is not set in stone just yet. Thursday night's vote was just the 1st reading,  and still needs to pass through the 2nd reading. If enacted, the ban will go into full effect on October 1st.

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