Some object to the ban

Berkeley Springs Bowlerama owner Mike Glennie raised concerns about the health of smokers being forced to weather the elements outdoors under the new smoking ordinance.

Glennie presented his concerns at the July 17 Morgan County Health Department board meeting. He said that he was all in favor of protecting the health of non-smokers.

But Glennie was concerned that smokers with already impaired immune and respiratory systems would be forced outdoors in the ice, rain, wind and snow with the new ordinance, under the guise of health.

By law, smokers would need to be 15 feet away from the building, which would prevent them from taking refuge even under an overhang, said Glennie.

He had a petition signed by about 150 Bowlerama patrons that requested some indoor accommodation for smokers. About half of the petition signers were smokers and the other half non-smokers, he said.

Glennie, who quit smoking 25 years ago, said that the health department board spent a long time listening to his concerns. Many offered solutions, which they found after discussion would not meet the new ordinance's guidelines. Glennie said that health officials offered to keep an open mind and would try to work on the problem.

Glennie said that he would probably put up an outdoor shelter of some kind that was partially open to the air where patrons could smoke. As a citizen more than a business owner, Glennie said that he'd like to see some accommodations made so the health of smokers can be maintained.

Glennie had erected a glass door between his bar area and the rest of the bowling alley so smokers could watch the lanes while on break. Health department officials advised him that his glass door solution wouldn't meet regulations and that it had to be an impermeable wall. Glennie said he is going to take out the glass door and erect a wall in its place.