Coalition members will soon begin gathering petition signatures.

A St. Charles County group wants to make smoking illegal inside restaurants, bars, workplaces and any other public buildings in the county. Now they're launching a new effort to get the idea in front of voters.

A coalition called Smoke-Free St. Charles County said smoke-free indoor air is good for health, good for business and good for the region. The group has partnered with the American Heart Association, which provided $355,000 to help get the idea onto next November’s county-wide ballot.

Smoke-free isn't a foreign concept in St. Charles County. Smoking in restaurants and bars has been illegal in the city of O’Fallon since 2011. That's something Maria Deciechi likes about her hometown.

“I don't care for second-hand smoke. I don't want to breathe it in. I don't want to leave a restaurant or bar smelling like second-hand smoke,” said Deciechi.

But Joe Aiello of Defiance said the plan is terrible for businesses. He owns Aiello’s Cigar Bar in Cottleville and his livelihood is based on people smoking cigars, often in his shop. He said a smoke-free law would cripple his business.

“Sales would drop dramatically,” said Aiello. “I’d probably have to start laying off my employees. If you do not like tobacco, you wouldn't come in anyway. So, why do you want to hurt me?”

Karen Englert, Missouri governmental relations director for the American Heart Association, told 5 On Your Side, “Everyone deserves the right to breathe smoke-free air. Employees shouldn’t have to make the choice between their health and the job.”

Aiello countered by saying, “They say it’s about the workers. But the workers have a choice. If they don’t want to work at a place where smoking is allowed they can get a job somewhere else.”

According to Smoke-Free St. Charles County’s website 71% of county residents support a smoke-free indoor air law. Maria Deciechi is one of them.

“I would prefer to keep all restaurants and bars in this area smoke-free. I think it's just healthier for the general public.”

But Aiello said the law goes against the American dream.

“I've got my life savings in that business. I worked hard for 20 years and now the do-gooders want to come in and destroy that. And it's just not fair.”