Public smoking in DeKalb has been placed on the endangered species.

The city council listened to a presentation by the DeKalb Smoke Free Coalition and the DeKalb Environmental Coalition last night during its workshop meeting.

Although no vote was taken, the council decided it needs to hear from an opposition group before deciding to implement an ordinance that would ban smoking in public places.

The coalition would like the city to pass an ordinance that would ban smoking in all bars and restaurants, but some council members balked at the all-or-nothing approach, and would like a ban that does not include bars and restaurants.

“I am not certain that I would ever support banning smoking in bars and restaurants,” 5th Ward Alderman Pat Conboy said.

Allowing citizens to work in a smoke-free environment is one of the goals of the

coalition.

“Why should we value the life of some workers while not protecting the bartenders and service workers?” said Jim Grosklags, president of the DeKalb Smoke Free Coalition.

Grosklags also said the city would stand to gain monies because expenses for health care would be reduced.

“More people are going to be non-smokers with this ordinance,” he said. “The city will save money with health care because less people will miss work due to smoking illness.”

The coalition wants strongly to include all bars and restaurants in the ordinance, he said.

“We would live with a partial ban, but it does not make sense to only ban smoking part of the time,” he said.

Some council members agree a partial ban is not the best solution, but some sort of ordinance is needed.

“I have been asking students in bars for about four years, and overwhelming people support a ban,” 6th Ward Alderman Dave Baker said.

A ban on smoking at any establishment that allows minors would be the minimum ordinance Baker would support, he said.