BELLEVUE, Ky. – Northern Kentucky was honored for adopting a smoke-free ordinance earlier this year. Despite criticism, the mayor of Bellevue said the city has already been reaping the benefits of going smoke-free.
When it comes to his opinion on the recent change the city he works for made and his bowling game, Pierce Turner keeps it down the middle.
“I am on both sides of the smoking ban," Turner said. "I can see the liberties for the individual, as well as the health for the public. I guess I’m split down the middle, but it seems to have had a good outcome for everybody here.”
Turner, who works in the Bellevue city management office, bowls at the Super Bowl Bellewood often. He said it's been a different experience since the city enacted a smoke free-ordinance.
“Before the smoking ban, it would sort of be a little unbearable if you had somebody right next to you smoking," Turner said. "But since then, it’s been a much more enjoyable experience getting here, breathing in the fresh air and hanging out with my friends.
"The demographics, I think, have changed a little bit. You used to have older men coming in here, and they would light their cigars and sit around. Now, you can see a lot more families coming in and a lot more people my age and younger coming in just to enjoy the atmosphere. It’s a lot more accepting.”
Bellevue Mayor Charlie Cleves said the city followed Dayton's lead when it came to adopting the ordinance, becoming just the 34th city in the state to do so.
He said he got pushback from businesses where smoking was allowed, such as the bowling alley and some other bars.
“They were not happy when we first brought it up with them," Cleves said. "The owners were worried; they couldn’t afford to take a big loss. They were worried it would hurt their business, but it is better for all of Bellevue. Just to have it inconvenient for a few people, it’s worth all the lives it saves. That’s the only way to put it.”
Cleves said the economic and health benefits other smoke-free cities reported were major influences for Bellevue.
“If you add up all those people complaining to me, it’s only two dozen people," Cleves said. "There’s 5,800 and something people in Bellevue, and two dozen were making a loud cry out.
"At least 100 people walked up to me on the street and said, ‘That was the best thing you could’ve ever done; now, I can go in there again.’ Even members of the places were coming to me and saying, ‘That was great; I was tired of that smoke, going home and smelling like an ashtray after I’m there for three, four hours with the guys.”’
People in Bellevue can still smoke, just not inside public places and city-owned spaces such as parks. Cleves said the city has been lenient in enforcing the ordinance during the transition period.
“But there will come a time when we decide we’re not going to let even the little stuff slip by,” he said.
The city was recently honored by the Breath Easy Coalition for its commitment to go smoke-free. Turner said the bowling alley has even benefited.
“I’ve spoken to them, and they said they didn’t seem to take a big hit from the smoking ban," Turner said. "That was great to hear as an employee and as someone who cares about the community. I can definitely see the benefits from a family perspective and having people that could be at risk of lung disease or hard of breathing. I still am a little on the edge about taking away someone’s personal liberties, but I still see both sides.”
The Super Bowl Bellewood owners declined to comment on this story when asked.
Cleves said leaders from other nearby cities have contacted him for advice on possibly adopting their own smoke-free ordinances. He said he thinks it’s something the entire state will eventually put in place.