University of Wisconsin students have diverse opinions regarding a proposed smoking ordinance that would ban smoking in a significant number of restaurants which currently qualify as bars.

Some students are bothered by smoky restaurants and would like to see smoking end in restaurants.

“I think it’s disgusting,” junior Shalon Holbeck said. “Smoke really gets to me.”

Other students are not bothered by smoke and see no problem with the extent of smoking in Madison businesses.

“It’s not really a big deal,” junior Marcie Plummer said. “You won’t get lung cancer from a couple of hours in a restaurant.”

Students are also divided about the severity of secondhand smoke. Some think secondhand smoke is a serious health threat, while others feel the risk is blown out of proportion.

One student smoker who wished not to be identified said studies conducted by anti-tobacco campaigns are biased and inaccurate.

“In a 4000-square-foot restaurant, a customer would only get an occasional waft of smoke, which is not the kind of room secondhand smoke studies are done in,” the student said. “We need a neutral party to study secondhand smoke.”

Other students feel secondhand smoke is a major issue.

One of the reasons many City Council members want to pass the smoking ordinance is to protect employees from the effects of secondhand smoke. But several students said employees should not complain because they chose to work in a smoky atmosphere.

“If you’re smart enough to get the job, you should be smart enough to know it will be smoky,” junior Arvind Gopalratnam said.

Other students said air quality is a legitimate employment concern.

“If [a restaurant] is not well ventilated, that’s the owner’s problem,” Mike Keir said. “Employees may not realize how bad it is, and they shouldn’t be forced to breathe smoke.”

If the ordinance passes, smoking would be banned in businesses with alcohol sales comprising less than 50 percent of their total revenue. Restaurants affected by the smoking ordinance would include the Nitty Gritty, State Street Brats, State Street Bar & Grill, and the Angelic Brewing Company.

Some students said business would decrease because customers would go elsewhere to smoke, but others thought business might actually go up from customers preferring smoke-free environments.

Ryan Stitely said as a smoker he would not choose a restaurant or bar based on smoking rules, but it could be a factor in other people’s decisions.

Junior Jenny Bonfigt said she prefers a smoke-free atmosphere.

“When I go to restaurants, I don’t want to come home smelling like smoke,” Bonfigt said.

Some students said the city should not regulate smoking in restaurants.

“If there is a high demand for nonsmoking establishments, nonsmoking bars will go into business and it will regulate itself,” Brian Minor said.

Other students said the city should step in to regulate smoking because smoking is a public-health issue.

“F-ck smoking; people’s health is more important,” Tim Sherman said.

The smoking ordinance vote is set to take place at the City Council’s Oct. 1 meeting, and several City Council members are still undecided. To contact your representative, visit the City of Madison website at www.ci.madison.wi.us.