A cigar buff in Phoenix wants the bank of smoking in public places to be optional. He wants the business owners to decide whether their restaurants, bars, coffee shop etc etc.. can allow their customers to smoke or not. They can then put up a sign saying that smoking is allowed.


They would also tell there new employees that they have a smoking policy and smoking is allowed which will allow them to decide if they wish to work there.


But Eric Ulis, who created the "Arizona Cigar Lobby" of tobacco shops, said Tuesday that nothing in his measure would prohibit cities from enacting their own tougher ordinances.


The cigar buff needs 122,612 signatures on petitions by July 6 to qualify for the state's November ballot. Ulis said he is negotiating with restaurant and bar industry representatives, and a major tobacco company, to finance the cost of the campaign.
Ulis said the main function of his petition drive is to provide voters an alternative to a competing measure being sponsored by health groups.

That measure, unveiled in August, would outlaw smoking in restaurants, bars, auditoriums and stadiums. It also would make it illegal to smoke in offices, including those where the smoker is the sole occupant.