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RELATED COVERAGE Minority advocates argue for tobacco cut As the state prepares to collect its share of a multibillion-dollar settlement with the tobacco industry, some local leaders are urging: Don't forget about the black community.

AMHERST - Town health officials, who have struggled to get bar owners and patrons to obey a townwide ban on cigarette smoking, are now seeking a statewide prohibition on barroom smoking.

Amherst Health Board members say a statewide ban could ease opposition in their town as smokers would no longer have the opportunity to patronize bars in neighboring towns that allow smoking.

However, squabbling continues over the town's eight-month-old ban on tavern smoking. Bar owners have sued over the law and repeated fines, saying its is unfair to punish them when their customers smoke.

Under the Amherst ordinance, bar owners are required to keep their customers from lighting up, or face fines ranging from $100 for a first offense to $300 for third and subsequent violations.

Meanwhile, the town manager and selectmen have publicly questioned the time and money the Health Board is spending on trying to enforce the ban, but the board has resisted their attempts to persuade it to allow some variances.

And the town's Tobacco Control officer, hired to check the bars and enforce the ban, says even when he doesn't spot any smoking, he sees plenty of evidence -- including ashtrays and smoke -- that folks have been illegally lighting up.