St. Charles County Council Approves Public Vote for Smoking Ban

The fate of the smoking ban now lies with St. Charles County Executive Steve Ehlmann.

​By a vote of four to two, the St. Charles County Council passed legislation yesterday that would put a countywide smoking ban on the November 2012 ballot.

The issue isn't a done deal yet, as County Executive Steve Ehlmann could veto the proposal and keep it from the ballot. Ehlmann has been somewhat critical of smoking bans in the past -- and the council would need five votes to overturn an Ehlmann veto.

If the measure reaches the ballot and is approved by voters, the St. Charles County ban would apply to all businesses except the Ameristar Casino. Unlike smoking bans in St. Louis and St. Louis County, the St. Charles County ban would not exempt bars that earn most their revenue through alcohol sales.

The council added another provision last night that would strip the Ameristar exemption if St. Louis and St. Louis County change their smoking bans to include casinos.

Last September the American Cancer Society issued a survey claiming that 68 percent of St. Charles County voters favored a smoking ban.