When the debate about a smoke free Champaign-Urbana heated up last September, bar owners were silent. Now that the measure has passed, everyone affected is scrambling for the right to exempt themselves from a ban and let their customers puff away.

But the ban was designed for the bars, crafted to prevent non-smokers from having to breathe in dangerous second-hand smoke when they choose to drink. It's a noble cause, even if it is motivated by the goal of catching up to chic, non-smoking, cosmopolitan areas like Chicago, New York and Bloomington-Normal.

Not one major city has made exceptions for their liquor establishments. And why should they? If a city's ban on smoking in public places is designed to protect the health of its non-smoking citizens, then allowing smoking in bars just because people feel the need to balance their beer with a cigarette makes no sense.

Owners complain that the ban will drive smoking customers out of their establishments. But if bars were seriously concerned about the effects of a city-wide smoking ban on their profit margin, why would owners wait until after the passage of anti-smoking legislation to fight it? The time to debate exemptions has passed, and whining after the bill's passage will amount to no more than pointless bickering, especially considering that city-wide smoking bans have yet to drive anyone out of business in other smoke-free cities.

Only two establishments in town really have an uncertain future due to the new legislation - the hookah bars, where customers go for the sole and explicit purpose of smoking. An amendment that would have exempted hookah bars failed last month signaling an unfair end to the hookah in C-U.

However, there's an overlooked alternative that would strike a compromise between smokers and clean air lovers, and allow the hookah bars to stay in business - smokers-only bars. Allowing a limited number of permits for smoking establishments, either though a lottery or bid system, would create havens for smokers and non-smokers alike.

It's a measure that could stop bar owners complaints, allow the hookah industry to thrive, and conceivably produce city revenue through the sale of permits.

Not everyone enjoys a side of lung cancer with their beer. Bar owners need to stop pushing for a blanket exemption and start working toward a compromise - we'll all breathe easier.