Secondhand Smoke Monitoring Seen as Alternative to Ban
A unique program in St. Louis Park, Minn., allows bars and restaurants to permit smoking as long as they install air-monitoring devices to inform customers about their secondhand-smoke exposure, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported Sept. 4.
The consumer-awareness approach was developed by a city task force. Under the new program, owners of restaurants and bars can allow smoking as long as they continuously test the air in their nonsmoking sections for nicotine content and post the results prominently on their entrance doors.
The program gives advance notice to customers interested in dining in the nonsmoking sections on how much nicotine they would inhale. According to Brian Hoffman, director of inspections for St. Louis Park, customers who think the level is too high can opt to go to another restaurant.
Businesses are also required to foot the $700 annual fee for the cost of the testing program.
To date, Hoffman said 19 establishments have agreed to participate in the program.
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