The City of Ames begins a new smokeless era in its restaurants today. A new city ordinance takes effect today banning smoking from six a.m. until 10:30 p.m. in Ames restaurants. Bars that do less than 10 percent of their business in food sales are not included in the smoking ban. Ames Public Information Officer, Clare Bills, says they’ve been working with restaurants to explain the ordinance.All restaurants have signs up explaining the new ordinance. Bills says the city doesn’t plan on having extra “smoking police” out enforcing the ban. Instead, they’re leaving it up to restaurants to let customers know about the ban.Bills says there are still some restrictions even when smoking is allowed in restaurants.Minors will not be allowed in smoking areas during the hours when smoking is allowed. The ordinance was a compromise over what had originally been a proposal to ban all smoking in Ames eateries.
