Patchogue Village believes they have found a solution to the problem of having  cigarette butts littered on the grounds of their town.  However, their solution does not include strict enforcement of the no littering law.  They have instead, voted to amend the village code and require all restaurant and bar owners to incur the expense of having and maintaining outside cigarette receptacles.  

The law requires these cigarette receptacles to be located at the entrance and exit of all restaurants and bars.  Unfortunately, when a new law addresses a symptom and not the cause, it sometimes creates a new problem.  In this case, the new law will likely cause an increase in the congregation of smokers immediately outside the entrances to restaurants and bars in Patchogue.  This will likely result in patrons often being compelled to walk through a smoke zone atmosphere when they enter or leave the establishment, assuming they do not choose to take their business elsewhere.  In this current economy, business owners need all the help they can get just to stay in business.  The new law in Patchogue appears to contradict this premise and trades one problem for another.

Long Island Lawyer
Paul A. Lauto, Esq.