Smoking measure falls short

Not enough signatures collected to get initiative on ballot

By Brad Shannon | The Olympian • Published July 08, 2008

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Backers of an initiative seeking to allow smoking in cigar bars and private clubs failed to meet last week's signature deadline, but they claimed Monday to have come close.

Initiative 985: Would open car-pool lanes to everyone at almost all times and require traffic lights to be synchronized, along with other traffic measures.

Initiative 1000: Would allow doctors to prescribe lethal medicines to patients with six months or less to live.

Initiative 1029: Would set higher training standards for people who care for the elderly or disabled in their homes.

Joe Arundel, sponsor of I-1016 and owner of Rain City Cigar in Seattle, said his low-budget effort using a network of cigar shop owners and bar owners collected more than 213,000 signatures.

"Unfortunately, in our business, it's close but no cigar," Arundel said, trying to inject humor into defeat.

The law required 225,000 signatures.

I-1016 would have allowed smoking in private facilities, cigar stores and cigar bars.

Initiative 901 extended Washington's indoor smoking ban in 2005, and it passed with backing from a coalition of health groups that cited concerns about second-hand smoke exposure for workers in bars and clubs.

Arundel is not giving up, and said he plans to ask lawmakers in January to permit exceptions.

"We need to do something about this," he said. "The exemptions we were looking for are relatively small."

State lawmakers have resisted efforts to water down the law, despite chafing by some business owners. Among them is Frank Schnarrs, owner of Frankie's Sports Bar & Grill in Olympia, who was found in contempt of court last month over allowing smoking at the bar for patrons who paid a $1 membership fee.

Thurston County Superior Court Judge Richard Hicks has left open the door to Schnarrs building an indoor designated smoking area but he rejected the argument Schnarrs' operation was private and therefore allowed under the law.

"The current ban is not fair to owners and customers of cigar stores and cigar bars and members of private clubs," Arundel said in a statement. "These are locations that cater strictly to adults who want to enjoy a perfectly legal product — tobacco, generally, and premium cigars, specifically. No one would go into a cigar store or cigar bar and not expect smoking to be permitted."