NYC mayor seeks smoking ban in all bars, restaurants

NEW YORK -- The city said Friday it will try to ban smoking in all bars and restaurants by focusing on the potential health threat to workers.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg will ask the city council next week to outlaw smoking in the roughly 13,000 establishments not covered by the current law, which permits smoking in bars and in restaurants with fewer than 35 seats.

"If you are a bartender or a waiter or waitress and work in an establishment where there is smoking, in an eight-hour day it's the equivalent of you smoking half a pack of cigarettes yourself," said Bloomberg, who quit smoking 18 years ago.

Elena Deutsch, director of Tobacco Control at the American Cancer Society, said the mayor's proposal would protect workers.

Not everyone shared their concern.

"Being subjected to smoke is part of my job," said Tony Trincanello, a bartender at Milos' Greek restaurant in midtown Manhattan.

In July, the New York State Restaurant Association dropped its longstanding opposition to the current smoking law after a survey showed most members were in favor of it.

Most states have some level of restrictions on public smoking. In addition to California, Delaware and several municipalities, including El Paso, Texas, enforce total bans in bars and restaurants.