Congratulations DeKalb.

After several years of debate, the DeKalb City Council finally passed the smoking ban 5-2 during its Monday meeting.

There were many concerns about the ban, one being that it would create an island effect, or smokers going to establishments outside city limits (e.g., Sycamore) to appease their cravings.

It is probably this concern that drove DeKalb’s Third Ward Alderman Steve Kapitan to encourage Sycamore City Council members to take similar action.

Some Sycamore officials snubbed the idea at first, in response to the city’s Chamber of Commerce survey of downtown businesses and restaurants that recommended no change. However, the idea caught on and, as it turns out, the city soon may consider adopting a ban of its own.

Although a ban could be a good move, Sycamore officials would do well to wait to see how the ban affects DeKalb businesses and the local economy as a whole before making the decision. It will be a long wait, considering all components of the ban will not be complete until September 2007. Even then, the full effects may not be apparent for a few years.

Proponents of the DeKalb ordinance, including DeKalb Mayor Frank Van Buer, claim the act will not have an adverse effect on the city’s businesses.

“Follow-up studies generally find establishments not allowing smoking do not lose money,” Van Buer said in a Jan. 25 Northern Star article.

Some cases studies like the one in El Paso, Texas, support this claim. The city reported no loss in restaurant or bar revenues since implementing the ban in January 2002.

Regardless of the studies, DeKalb and Sycamore have very unique characteristics that could lead to different results.

Either way, this is no decision for Sycamore to take lightly.