16th Street Mall Smoking Ban Moves Forward, Final Vote Next Week
DENVER (CBS4)- An ordinance to ban smoking and vaping on Denver's 16th Street Mall, the "Breathe Easy" campaign, was initially approved by the Denver city council on Monday night. The proposal will be up for a final vote next week.
The ordinance would ban not only cigarette and cigar smoking on the mall, but vaping too.
Using pot in public is already against the law.
City Council President Albus Brooks, who is sponsoring the measure, says the 40,000 people who use the mall every day shouldn't have to breath in other people's smoke.
The ban would be enforced on all public areas on 16th Street from Broadway to Chestnut Place.
Brooks said that he has received hundreds of emails over the years asking for the ban.
More than 4,500 other cities across the U.S. have similar bans in place along pedestrian malls.
Those in favor say the ban is in the interest of public health but opponents say it's less about public health and more about keeping the homeless off the 16th Street Mall.
The punishment would involve a fine of up to $100.