News 12 at 11 o'clock / Monday, Oct. 17, 2011

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- The second public hearing regarding Richmond County's proposed smoking ban drew a packed house Monday night. Very few seemed undecided; most either strongly support the ordinance or outright hate it.

Amy Lewis was one of the first speakers Monday night, expressing a concern that the law is unreasonably attempting to force everyone to live in a "plastic bubble."

"If you want to go crawl in your plastic bubble, you have the ultimate right," Lewis said. "You go crawl into your little bubble. And while you're there --zip it up."

Several doctors, nurses and health advocates spoke out, too, arguing that employees of bars have the right to work in a smoke-free environment.

"I have the opportunity to work in a healthy environment, and everyone deserves that," said Cheryl Wheeler, advocacy chair for the American Cancer Society.

Wheeler says she is just as passionate about helping smokers quit.

"I've seen the impact professionally and personally of the impact of both smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke," she said.

Lewis and several other protesters of the ban say "do-gooders" supporting the ordinance are infringing on their legal right to smoke. Bar owners are also concerned with infringement of rights; for example, their right to run their businesses however they please and appeal to whomever they desire, smokers or non-smokers.

"If a person doesn't want to go in a bar that smokes, don't go there! They have plenty of bars in Augusta and Richmond County that have non-smoking already," insisted R.W. McClellan, who has owned and worked in his bar for 18 years.

He is not a smoker, but smoking is allowed in his bar.

"I'm one who's being exposed to this second-hand smoke they are talking about," McClellan said.

But, he explains, he's invested in "smoke eaters," fans that suck in and purify air around the bar.

"It comes out cleaner than the air outside around here," he said.

McClellan also says if the new ordinance is passed and enforced, bar finances will go up in smoke.

"We'd all be out of business," he said. "Richmond County's gonna be in trouble because it will cost them millions of dollars over the years."

He worries non-smoking laws will push customers elsewhere. Sheila Hernan, a business owner, agreed.

"Smoking is legal; Drinking is legal; My business is legal. Ninety-eight percent of my customers smoke. This will probably shut us down," she said.

Lora Hawk supports the ordinance. She says 500 other municipalities across the country and 29 entire states already have smoking ban laws.

"I have to ask you -- where is the business going to go? Is it going to go to Columbia County? Because they already have an ordinance. Is it going to go to Aiken, South Carolina? Because they already have an ordinance, too. All your neighbors already have the ordinance," she said.

Noah Garcia brought up his concerns with the language of the law.

"If the ordinance is to prevent second-hand smoke, then why are electric cigarette devices listed, too?"

He started up his electric cigarette, showing a the minimal amount of smoke it produces. Garcia says he's used the nicotine-only device as a way to ween off of cigarettes.

"There's no fire, no combustible plant matter, there's no trash. You don't litter, there's no nothing. And there's no smoke!," he said. "You can't say that it's harmful to anybody else but me."

News 12 will continue to keep you updated on Tuesday's commission meeting.