Politics & Government

Smoking Ban Gets Initial City Council Approval

Council members, residents weigh in on both sides of the issue.

In an initial vote Tuesday, Goose Creek City Council narrowly approved a municipal smoking ban. It was a 4-3 decision, with Mayor Michael Heitzler, Marguerite Brown and John McCants opposing the ban. 

Councilman Mark Phillips said he supported the measure because of workplace safety. "There's a lot of regulations for a workplace environment, but there is none for this aspect, which is significant," he said. "It is a no brainer." 

The ban requires a second vote from council before it is law. Residents spoke out on both sides of the issue. 

Find out what's happening in Goose Creekwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Richard Hernandez noted the city has supported public health with recreation options and a growing map of walking trails. "This is just one more step in that direction," Hernandez said.

Greg Adams said he opposed the ban due to individual rights. "People who want to work in a bar know there's going to be smoking," he said. "They understand it." 

Find out what's happening in Goose Creekwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Mayor Michael Heitzler echoed the argument. "The City of Goose Creek has no health department," he said. "This is not our business."


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Goose Creek