Published: June 13, 2008 10:08 pm      

Fayette health board enacts tougher smoking regulations

Come July 1, the stringency of Fayette County’s anti-smoking regulations will ratchet up a notch.

The Fayette County Board of Health voted late last month to prohibit smoking in any free-standing bar and also in any place where a non-smoker might visit.

Fayette County Health Officer Dr. Don Newell explained that the amendments to the Clean Indoor Air Regulation of 2005 were approved by the board April 30. A 30-day notice was then published in local newspapers and posted in public areas.

At a subsequent May 29 meeting, only two people were on hand to speak about the measure, and they both spoke in its favor, he added.

“The board’s intent is not to punish smokers but to protect non-smokers from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke. Second-hand smoke is classified as a Group A carcinogen and is responsible for 3,000 lung cancer deaths per year in the U.S.,” Newell said.

Last month’s vote effectively prohibits smoking in any indoor establishment that a non-smoker may frequent. Those would include private offices that may need to be accessed by employees or the general public. Newell listed offices of accountants and lawyers as examples.

The amendments even entail a ban on smoking outdoors where people might congregate. According to Newell, this would take in such places as outdoor eating establishments, service lines and sporting events such as football and soccer games.

Fayette County has regulated indoor smoking since 1999. Those restrictions expanded on May 1, 2005, to include more areas. The 2005 regulations mandated that designated smoking areas cannot come within 20 feet of the entrance to any facility where smoking is prohibited.

At that time, smoking was prohibited in restaurants and other places where people could assemble, but free-standing bars were left untouched. Penalties for violating the ban consist of fines ranging from $200 to $1,000.

For more information on the new regulations or to obtain a copy of them, call the Fayette County Board of Health at 574-1617.

— E-mail:

mhill@register-herald.com