Sacramento City Council Floating Restaurant Patio Smoking Ban

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — The Sacramento City Council is floating another smoking ban, this one expanding current bar and restaurant restriction to patios.

Councilman Steve Hansen is pushing hard to make most patios and porches off-limits to smokers.

"It just seems logical, common sense, that if you're a smoker you can wait until after you are done eating or go somewhere else," he said.

But smokers like Daniel Davis are fired up over the idea of a new ordinance.

"In my personal opinion, I think it's sort of going too far, because as an American we have the freedom to enjoy ourselves and the pursuit of happiness, and this is my happiness," he said.

Happiness isn't the only thing that could be lost at restaurants and bars—it could mean a drop in sales.

"I know that when people drink, they tend to smoke more, and so if they want to they will go to places that they can smoke in the area or out on the patio," said smoker Shawn Scheff.

Tim Gibbs with the American Cancer Society claims the losses are overstated and says most may even make more money.

"A lot of the arguments we hear are the same arguments we're heard about from smoke-free workplace laws 20 years ago," he said.