CROWN POINT | Smokers may wish it an April Fools' Day prank, but Crown Point officials say the city's new smoking ban is no joke.

"We think the smoking ban will provide an environment that will allow people to be healthy ... and make their own choices," city Chief of Staff Keith Stevens said.

Passed by the Crown Point City Council in December, the city's smoking ban begins today, outlawing smoking in all enclosed public places except for bars, private clubs, private residences, retail tobacco stores and designated hotel and motel rooms.

The ban will be enforced by the Crown Point Police Department, but Chief Pete Land said no officers will be dispatched to respond to such complaints. Instead, he said officers will visit businesses in question and provide education following first offenses. After that, the businesses and those smoking within the businesses will pay increasing fines for each violation.

"I'm not anticipating a whole lot of problems," Land said.

Angelos Pappas owns Pappas Restaurant, 1130 N. Main St. While he's found a way to make the smoking ban work for him, he's still not pleased with it.

Pappas said he received permission from the city to enclose his smoking room and make it 21-and-older seating because each of the rooms in his restaurant has a separate air conditioning and ventilation system.

A countywide or statewide ban is what City Councilman Mike Conquest hopes for the future. Conquest spearheaded the movement that led to the ban after crafting a similar ban at his place of employment. He said Crown Point modeled its ordinance after a similar ban in Valparaiso.

"Crown Point isn't on the cutting edge of this by any means," he said.