Adult venues recognised in Galveston, Texas: smoking ban revised

Galveston, island city in Texas, has revised its smoking ban, which has been in force since only January this year. Amendments to relax the ban will be implemented after just over a week, allowing 'adult-only' venues to admit smoking, and considerably reducing the non-smoking zone around doorways in venues that will remain non-smoking.

The smoking ban was the subject of court action by a number of businesses including a party that had already implemented an indoor smoking ban and built a patio. Their fight defends the principle that proprietors choose their market and regulate smoking behaviour on their premises and complains the council made no investigation of how the ban would affect their premises.

It seems that Thursday's council decision has pre-empted any decision from the courts.