Vote no on the smoking ban

I am a non-smoker and do not have an ax to grind, so the proposed smoking ban in restaurants does not affect me. What I am concerned about is another right many of you have that may be taken away. I don't know of any restaurant in Cape Girardeau that doesn't already have a space set aside for smoking. The remainder of the restaurant is smoke-free.

When you enter a restaurant, they ask you, "smoking or non-smoking?" You still have a choice. If this vote passes you will have no choice. Over the past ten years we have been in many different restaurants in Cape Girardeau and always chose the "non-smoking" area. We have discussed this several times and cannot remember a time when the smell of smoking was present or a problem.

Let the restaurant owners control their businesses and the smoking problem, as they already do very successfully. Don't force any more restrictions on the citizens of Cape Girardeau or the restaurants.

When this vote comes up, do every citizen in Cape Girardeau a favor by voting no.

THOMAS H. YOUNG, Cape Girardeau