Stadium Backs Off on Smoking Ban

After listening to pleas from paid tobacco industry lobbyists and smokers Thursday, the San Diego Stadium Authority backed off on a proposed smoking ban in all stadium seating areas in favor of merely asking smokers to be respectful of nonsmokers.

As part of a compromise, a sign will be erected on the Jack Murphy Stadium scoreboard that will read: “The Stadium Authority requests if you smoke please be considerate of your neighbor.”

The wording was worked out in committee meetings with officials of the San Diego Chargers and Padres, primary stadium tenants.