UPDATE: Wilkes-Barre city council passed the no smoking ordinance Monday night. It will go into effect in 10 days.
[Original post]
WILKES-BARRE -- Wilkes-Barre city council is expected to vote on an ordinance to ban smoking from the Intermodal Transportation Center.
A city councilman thinks it's difficult to get through the Intermodal Transportation Center without walking through clouds of smoke.
But some think that councilman's proposed smoking ban goes too far.
Councilman Bill Barrett wants council to ban smoking and vaping at the center so people can catch a bus without also catching secondhand smoke.
"It's a health issue that's affecting other people," Barrett said.
But many commuters at the intermodal center think such a ban goes too far.
"Really, there's no problem. It's not like there's cigarette butts all over the ground," said Christina Medlock.
"I think it's ridiculous, can't go nowhere anymore and not smoke. And most of these people who complain about smoking are the ones who never smoked," said Barry Godlesky.
"If they don't like the smoke, they can always step inside," said Robert Betts. "It's air conditioning in the summer time and heat in the winter."
If the ordinance passes and you're caught smoking or vaping, you could be slapped with a $200 fine.
"That's a bit much. That's a little high," said Doreen Maloni. "People are going to smoke regardless."
"We just hope that people would abide by the signage and we wouldn't have to cite anyone," said Barrett.
Jennifer Dykins of Wilkes-Barre agrees that smoking should be banned. She took the bus to the intermodal to get to her little boy's doctor appointment nearby.
"People are just ruthless and don't take into consideration little kids' lungs. All they care about is smoking a cigarette and that's it."
Newswatch 16 reached out to the new Lackawanna Transit Center in Scranton to see if it has no smoking policy on the books.
Right now, there are certain areas where smoking is restricted, which is the same as the current law of the land in Wilkes-Barre.
Councilman Barrett expects the city to pass the smoking ban on Monday night. If that happens, it will go into effect in 10 days.
