The Milwaukee Common Council is attempting to clear the air on the issue of public smoking.

On Thursday, March 2 at 9 a.m., City Hall will host the first public hearing regarding a bill that, if passed, would ban smoking in public areas, including bars and restaurants. The Public Safety Committee may vote on the smoke-free ordinance at the end of the hearing, according to a January news release from the Smoke Free Milwaukee Project (SFMP).

According to the news release, 2,129 U.S. cities, including New York, Minneapolis, Boston and Chicago, have recently passed laws that restrict smoking in bars and restaurants. Furthermore, 24 smoke-free ordinances have already passed in the state of Wisconsin alone.

"It is very important for Milwaukee to be smoke free," said Patricia McManus, a spokeswoman for SFMP. If passed, the bill "would impact and help a tremendous number of people."

"The health of the community is extremely important," she added.

The bill has received backing from The American Lung Association of Wisconsin, The American Heart Association and Smoke Free Wisconsin. But local bars and restaurants are anything but supportive of the bill. Those involved said they believe they would lose a substantial amount of business if the Common Council passes the bill.

"The problem with the local smoking ban is that it creates an (uneven) playing field for businesses in the food and tavern industries from city to city," said Pete Hanson, director of government relations for the Wisconsin Restaurant Association, a nonprofit trade association. "It should be done statewide or it shouldn't be done at all."

Hanson said he believes that if the bill was passed, tourists would visit other Wisconsin towns and Milwaukee businesses would suffer as a result. He described vetoing the bill as "a matter of fairness."

Milwaukee Alderman Bob Donovan, who represents the 8th district, is also skeptical about the need for the bill.

"I think it's an issue that's best left up to individual businesses," he said, adding that if the bill is passed, certain restaurants will see a 10 to 20 percent decline in business and some may even close.

"The government is getting a little too intrusive," he said.

Marquette students are as divided as the city leaders on the issue.

"I think it's a really good idea because it promotes a healthy lifestyle for all," said Angela Ryan, a freshman in the College of Arts & Sciences. She said the bill does not forbid smoking as a whole, it just protects others from unwanted exposure.

Ryan said she does not believe, however, that she speaks for a majority of the student body.

"Since there are a lot more smokers than (non-smokers) it would definitely affect local business," said John Tate, a freshman in the College of Business Administration. He said he thinks businesses would see fewer customers.

But McManus said it's not about business, it's about health and safety.

Smokers "don't have a right to take other people with them," she said. "It's a real public health crisis."