Would You Sign the Petition Against the Tobacco Ban?

Updated, 11 a.m.

After spearheading the tobacco free ordinance, Councilman Ross Kaul announced at Wednesday's PDC meeting that he has asked to repeal the initiative for the June policy work session. Check out the .

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Many businesses in downtown Norcross have taken part in a petition against during the May city council meeting.

The ordinance, which bans all tobacco products from being used on all city property such as sidewalks and city parking lots, is scheduled to go into effect July 1.

In order to gain signatures against the ban, downtown businesses such as and placed petition sheets in their establishments Friday.

Would you be willing to sign the petition against the tobacco free ordinance? Tell us in the comments.

The reason for the petition is because many owners, such as Edna Berkshire of , believe by scaring away potential customers.

"It's just not good for business. It's not good for the image of Norcross," said Berkshire. "We're trying to bring people into Norcross, but then we're saying, 'Don't come here if you smoke.'"

She said that she and the other business owners want to sit down with the city council and talk about a way to amend the ordinance. The owners most likely will address the issue at the next council meeting June 4, she said.

Certain businesses have chosen not to participate in the petition.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the number of signatures at each business ranged; one shop received as many as 24 signatures while another had a little as four.

The petition is written as follows:

"We, the undersigned, call upon the Norcross City Council to amend the new Tobacco Free Facilities Ordinance (Ordinance No. 13-2012, Chapter 3, Sec. 5-1.) prohibiting tobacco use on all city property, including parks and sidewalks, but not the streets.

The new smoking ordinance infringes on our civil rights and possibly our constitutional rights.

Whether smoking falls under the freedom of expression in the First Amendment is something that has been debated for many years.

We concede that smoking has indeed been linked to lung cancer, but then alcohol has been linked to liver disease and traffic deaths, and fast foods have been shown to contribute to obesity.

If we continue to control the use of tobacco products so strictly, then these other practices should all be strictly regulated as well.

It is our right as Americans as well as tax payers to smoke or not. We live in a Democracy where "We" are allowed to make "Our" own decisions.

WHEREFORE, we the undersigned hereby petition the Norcross City Council to amend the new Tobacco Free Facilities Ordinance to allow smoking in outdoor areas."

What do you think about the petition? Do you think the city council will listen if the petition has enough signatures? Tell us in the comments.

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