Seminar Tries to Clear Air on Smoking Law
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Daniel [email protected]
Tuesday morning, an information session was held at the K21 Health Foundation to help educate employers and concerned citizens alike on how the law will work.
Daniel Gary, director of Kosciusko/Wabash County Tobacco Free Coalition, spoke at the event and admitted that there are a lot of unknowns concerning the bill.
“It’s basically going to be set up on the honor system,” said Gray.
State excise officers will be responsible for enforcing the law, along with county health departments, local fire departments and law enforcement.
The law itself states that starting July 1, smoking will be prohibited in:
– Most places of employment
– Most public places
– Most restaurants
– The area within eight feet of a public entrance to a public place or place of employment
– Any vehicle owned, leased or operated by the state if the vehicle is being used for a governmental function
Restaurants that are exempted from the smoking ban are those that only allow people 21 and older in their establishment.
Smoking will continue to be permitted in:
– Bars and taverns
– Tobacco retail shops
– Cigar bars
– Hookah bars
– State-licensed gaming facilties
– Licensed horse track facilties
– Membership clubs that are 501(c3)-designated, by law a club or fraternity, provides food and alcohol to only its members and guests, voted by members to allow smoking and have a separate, enclosed, designated smoking room, which is ventilated and only allows 18 and older to enter.
Communities can adopt stricter smoking bans than the ones set forth by the state.
Rich Haddad, K21 Health Foundation, said that since the foundation is focused on health they wanted to be a part of Tuesday’s seminar.
“We want to help you understand the new law,”âsaid Haddad.
Haddad said that while it’s not the function of the foundation to serve as a lobbying group, K21 Health Foundation is there to help people if they want to learn more about things like smoking cessation.
The YMCA is holding a cessation program June 27 at 6 p.m. The group meets for 90 minutes, once a week, for five weeks.
For those wishing to file a complaint against non-compliant businesses, a complaint form can be found at www.in.gov/atc/2640.htm
Follow staff writer Daniel Riordan on Twitter at @TUNews_Riordan
He can be reached at 574-267-3111, Ext. 246.[[In-content Ad]]
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Tuesday morning, an information session was held at the K21 Health Foundation to help educate employers and concerned citizens alike on how the law will work.
Daniel Gary, director of Kosciusko/Wabash County Tobacco Free Coalition, spoke at the event and admitted that there are a lot of unknowns concerning the bill.
“It’s basically going to be set up on the honor system,” said Gray.
State excise officers will be responsible for enforcing the law, along with county health departments, local fire departments and law enforcement.
The law itself states that starting July 1, smoking will be prohibited in:
– Most places of employment
– Most public places
– Most restaurants
– The area within eight feet of a public entrance to a public place or place of employment
– Any vehicle owned, leased or operated by the state if the vehicle is being used for a governmental function
Restaurants that are exempted from the smoking ban are those that only allow people 21 and older in their establishment.
Smoking will continue to be permitted in:
– Bars and taverns
– Tobacco retail shops
– Cigar bars
– Hookah bars
– State-licensed gaming facilties
– Licensed horse track facilties
– Membership clubs that are 501(c3)-designated, by law a club or fraternity, provides food and alcohol to only its members and guests, voted by members to allow smoking and have a separate, enclosed, designated smoking room, which is ventilated and only allows 18 and older to enter.
Communities can adopt stricter smoking bans than the ones set forth by the state.
Rich Haddad, K21 Health Foundation, said that since the foundation is focused on health they wanted to be a part of Tuesday’s seminar.
“We want to help you understand the new law,”âsaid Haddad.
Haddad said that while it’s not the function of the foundation to serve as a lobbying group, K21 Health Foundation is there to help people if they want to learn more about things like smoking cessation.
The YMCA is holding a cessation program June 27 at 6 p.m. The group meets for 90 minutes, once a week, for five weeks.
For those wishing to file a complaint against non-compliant businesses, a complaint form can be found at www.in.gov/atc/2640.htm
Follow staff writer Daniel Riordan on Twitter at @TUNews_Riordan
He can be reached at 574-267-3111, Ext. 246.[[In-content Ad]]
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