The East Lansing City Council shouldn't burn local business when it comes to changing the smoking ordinances that govern the city.

A proposed amendment to the council seeks to make local business owners have to keep a nonsmoking section open at all times within their establishment. The council has pushed the issue back for another meeting, citing that they need to hear more from the people it would affect - the business owners.

Smart move.

A quick decision would have erased the line between where public and private meets. Bars and restaurants, although open to the public, are private institutions and should be governed as such. That is, unless a business is in direct violation of a law, they should be free to operate within what is permissible.

While several cities across the country do have smoking bans, micromanaging businesses is not the government's place, and never should be. Those bans might work for other cities, but not for East Lansing. We want our business owners to have the freedom to run their establishments as they see fit.

If a bar wishes to have a nonsmoking section open all night, that is its choice. However, if the bar wishes to close that section, or to not have it at all, that choice should be respected as well.

Like it or not, smoking is legal in the United States. Unless that law is changed, businesses should have the option to allow it for their entire establishment. No one is forcing patrons to go into a smoky restaurant. And, should a nonsmoker wish to go in, that is their choice.

What would happen if this ordinance is passed? Some business owners fear that it would cost them patrons and money in renovations to accommodate nonsmokers.

Unquestionably, there are negative effects that stem from smoking. But as a person has the right to go buy a pack of cigarettes, businesses should have the choice to provide smokers with a place to light up.