Princeton health commission considers public smoking ban

A proposal by the Princeton Regional Health Commission to ban smoking in nearly all public buildings in Princeton Borough and Township has sparked controversy among students, local residents and business owners.

The proposed ordinance, introduced in February, would prohibit smoking in restaurants, bars, cabarets, taverns, work places, restrooms, lobbies, reception areas, hallways, elevators and all other public enclosed areas with the exception of retail tobacco stores.

The health commission is slated to take a final vote June 1 on the proposed ban.

Initially, the ban was expected to extend to the Prospect Avenue eating clubs. In February, regional health officer Bill Hinshillwood said, "I don't know all the details of what the setups are at the eating clubs, but I would assume the dining rooms would be considered a public place."

The common areas of the buildings would likely be covered under the ordinance, Hinshillwood explained at the time.

However, after several eating clubs submitted written objections to the ordinance, the health commission agreed during a meeting in April to consider an amendment that would exempt the eating clubs and other private social clubs from the ban.

"It's an amendment that intends to clarify between private and public facilities," Hinshillwood said. "It's not just the eating clubs, but other private clubs as well."

Terrace Club president Nili Safavi '01 said she believes the amendment would acknowledge the private status of the eating clubs.

"Terrace Club, like other eating clubs, is not like a restaurant or bar because we have members," Safavi explained. "It's a place where members come to hang out and have fun. If we were to be labeled as public, that could bring great liabilities."

Still, some local business owners and opponents of the ban have raised questions about the validity of exempting private establishments while including public bars and restaurants. They argue that for the ban to be effective, it must protect all employees from secondhand smoke, regardless of where they are employed.

The current language of the ordinance defines a private social club as "a privately owned entity operated exclusively for dues-paying members and not open to the general public" and states that such clubs are exempt from the ban.

Representatives of the eating clubs contend that they should be part of this exemption, but some local restaurant owners disagree.

Get the best of ‘the Prince’ delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe now »

Richard Carnevale, owner of The Annex restaurant, said he believes there is no valid reason to exempt the eating clubs and not other establishments, such as his restaurant.

"Private establishments are under the same obligation as public establishments as far as what the commission is trying to achieve," Carnevale said. "They're trying to protect the employees, and eating clubs have employees, just like public bars and restaurants, so they would fall under the same criteria."