Appeals court upholds KC smoking ban

KANSAS CITY — An appeals court has upheld Kansas City's smoking ban in bars, saying it does not violate state law.

The Western District of the Missouri Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday against the owner of JC's Sports Bar, which was ticketed by the city last year for allowing patrons to smoke.

The bar's attorneys had argued that because state law doesn't ban smoking in bars, taverns or restaurants that seat less than 50 people, the city was going further than the state allows and its smoking ordinance wasn't enforceable.

The court, however, said that local governments can establish more restrictive laws for smoking.

Columbia enacted its smoking ban in 2007.