"This is a magical place, it's a great town," says Tom Braatz.
Braatz owns an ice cream shop on Main St. in Eaton Rapids. He is a big part of the conversation to ban smoking in downtown. He started that conversation after he saw a 4-year-old have an asthma attack from second hand smoke.
"To see an asthmatic child gasping for air because of second hand smoke really has an impact on you," Braatz explains.
His business, Turtle Toms, and many others across Main St. are asking the city to ban smoking in the downtown area, and have places nearby smokers can go.
"We just want to make the downtown more family friendly, that's all we want, to make it safe for everyone."
But smokers, like Richard Marianetti don't think there's an issue at all.
"I have a right to smoke a cigarette on this public sidewalk, so long as I'm not interfering with anybody's business in doing so, or anybody else's privacy," he says.
Marianetti doesn't think the ban is necessary and seemed offended that Braatz thinks there needs to be one.
"If there were signs on this sidewalk saying I couldn't smoke, of course, I'd be a law abiding citizen, but until that's a law..."
He, and many other people say a ban would violate their rights.
"For somebody to tell me I can't do it is an invasion on my privacy."
