Well, there was hand-wringing, jubilation, and a lot of cigarettes lit after Cleburne passed a smoking ordinance last week. The ordinance makes it clear that any business can choose to allow smoking, allow smoking in designated areas or prohibit smoking altogether. At least one person on hand at the City Council meeting on March. 24 when the ordinance was passed was livid that the city had even thought such an ordinance needed to be put in place. According to the Cleburne Times-Review, Cleburne resident David Shelton told the council that “I don’t smoke and don’t own a business, but I’m astounded. I think you all are creating a problem where there’s not one. I’ve never heard anyone say that what we need is a smoking ordinance in this city.”
Smoking is already prohibited in all city facilities and vehicles and most park areas in Cleburne, but hey, if you own a bridal shop and nervous brides-to-be need to light up, it’s your choice to allow those dresses to smell like they were worn by a bartender on a busy Friday night before any smoking bans were put into place.
The ordinance makes Cleburne look like a place worth traveling to if you’re in the mood for a couple of whiskeys and a smoke. And it would be if there were anywhere to buy those whiskeys. But being that Johnson County remains dry except for a couple of private clubs and bars where you can buy beer but not hard liquor–although you can buy beer and wine almost anywhere in the county these days–well, you’re still out of luck. Better just to watch the final four at home if you’re a smoker who likes a whiskey, eh?
Peter you are full of shit!
It is NOT ok to NOT buckle your own seatbelt, even though it’s your own life.
However, it IS ok to blow smoke in a public place where it will endanger
the life of an innocent patron or employee.