Plans to extend the smoking ban in the City of Troy appear headed for council approval.

If council members’ comments are true indicators of their opinions, The “City of Troy Smoke Free Air Ordinance of 2013’ likely will pass unanimously later this month.

And that means smoking will no longer be allowed in bars and lounges, within 20 feet of building entries or windows, or within 20 feet of bleachers and seating at outdoor arenas.

It’s a sweeping extension of the city’s existing smoking ban, which passed in 2007 and outlaws smoking in restaurants and public buildings.

This measure takes the restrictions a step further, extending them to bars and nightclubs (previously exempted by the law), and restricting smoking in public areas near building entries and windows. More important, it also bans the use of water pipes for smoking tobacco in public places or business establishments, essentially putting an end to public concerns over the proposed opening of a hookah bar in Troy.

A public hearing on the ordinance is set for the councils June 25th meeting and, unless something changes the council members’ minds between now and then, we’d expect the measure to pass.

For residents in Troy who don’t smoke, the measure is a welcome one, eliminating concerns of second-hand smoke in bars and lounges and restricting exposure to second-hand smoke in outdoor areas. The goal, according to the council members, is to make Troy “a healthier place for all of us.”