ST. PAUL, Minn., July 8 (UPI) -- A judge in Ramsey Country, Minn., has upheld St. Paul's ban on smoking in bars and restaurants.
The St. Paul Pioneer Press reported that many opponents of the ban are bar owners, who have been citing a decline in business since the ban took effect several months ago.
Attorney Patrick O'Neill, representing ban challengers, said the 1996 merger of the city and county health departments took away the city's authority to regulate smoking.
District Judge David Higgs ruling strongly disputed O'Neill's claim, calling it "rife with error" and let the ban stand.
Other area cities that have enacted a ban on indoor smoking include Minneapolis, Bloomington and Golden Valley, all of which also cite a drop in business at bars.
