Avon Talks Quenching Genesee Street Smoking and Cigarrette Ads

AVON – The Village Board will soon start talks with local cigarette merchants about the potential for restricting smoking areas and banning smoking advertisements in the Village.

The Board said that backing smokers off 50 feet from any public building and banning all smoking advertising might make for a healthier community.

“I’m especially thinking about small kids at St. Agnes who might stop into Cook’s for an ice cream and see an ad right in their face,” said Avon Mayor Thomas Freeman.

Trustee Mark McKeown agreed and expressed his support of the idea.

Prohibiting smoking 50 feet from public buildings would effectively prohibit smoking on Genesee Street in the heart of the village. However, the Board decided that no action will be taken without input from businesses that sell cigarettes in the Village.

“Nothing is decided yet as we start this process and invite cigarette merchants to have them involved,” said Freeman. “It’s clear that this will affect downtown and even the future of the Avon Inn.”