By Alabama Public Radio
Birmingham, AL – The Birmingham City Council will consider a smoking ban Tuesday. The ordinance would stop smoking in restaurants and in 17 other types of public places. But bars, residences and retail tobacco stores would be exmpt from the ban. At a recent public hearing, nine people spoke in favor of the ban, while eight others opposed it. Birmingham attorney Barry Marks argued that smoking in public is bad for the city's image. But one restaurant manager said that since the proposed ban did not apply to the Birmingham-metro area, customers would take their business outside the city.