By Jennifer Galt
Kansas City, MO – Kansas City restaurants and bars are a bit closer to being smoke-free after Lenexa recently approved a smoking ban. Kansas City is required to impose a smoking ban if 85 percent of nearby suburbs also have a ban. Right now about 70 percent of the suburbs have made smoking in bars and restaurants illegal.
Matt Shatto, Lenexa assistant city administrator, says the city looked at the reaction to smoking bans in Overland Park and Lawrence before deciding to move forward.
The city of Lenexa was basically waiting to see whether or not the smoking ban in Lawrence was upheld by the Supreme Court before we took any action of our own. Because obviously if we went ahead and took action and put something in place and it was deemed to be illegal by the state supreme court, there would be no benefit.
The ban will take effect on January 2, 2008 and will exempt tobacco shops and outdoor dining.