Smoke-free Air Law to take effect July 1

Thursday, June 28, 2012

A smoky cloud of loopholes and legalese has the Indiana Smoke Free Air Law less effective than many health officials and lawmakers would like it.

Still, the law goes into effect on Sunday, July 1 and will have an impact on many business throughout Putnam County and the state.

The law will prohibit smoking in all businesses, except for private clubs, bars, casinos and retail tobacco shops. Indiana will join 39 other states in protecting workers from secondhand smoke in the workplace.

In the case of clubs, bars and tobacco shops, things are less clear.

Putnam County Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Director Alia Hazel cited the Greencastle ordinance enacted five years ago as a stronger law.

"In a lot of ways, the Greencastle law is a lot clearer and more effective than the state law," Hazel said.

The Greencastle law bans smoking outright in public places, while not affecting private clubs. Bars and tobacco shops get no such exemptions.

However, under the state law, which will apply to all places where local laws are not more restrictive, certain bars and tobacco shops have a possible exemption.

A bar or tavern that does not allow people under 21 may apply for an exemption from the state. If, however, the facility has a family room, it is not eligible for an exemption.

Similarly, retail tobacco stores are eligible to apply for an exemption if they only permit those 18 and older and if tobacco sales account for 85 percent of annual gross sales.

The state standards for private clubs are more restrictive than those in Greencastle, and therefore apply to private clubs in the city.

Clubs must take a member vote before applying for the exemption and then must revote every two years. Furthermore, smoking may only be allowed in one room. The room must be completely sectioned off by doors and minors may not be allowed in.

Bars within establishments that allow minors, such as bowling alleys and hotels, are not eligible for an exception.

For establishments that must go smoke free, the Tobacco and Cessation Commission at the Indiana State Department of Health has developed free "Breathe Easy Indiana" toolkits to help businesses with the implementation of the new law.

"Transitioning to a smoke-free business requires planning and education," said State Health Commissioner Gregory Larkin, M.D. "The toolkits are a great resource to help businesses be ready."

Items in the toolkit include:

* Employee training guide

* Business checklist

* Smoke-free window clings

* Coasters, posters and table tents

* Quick reference brochure

Businesses covered by the policy must post signs stating "smoking is prohibited within eight feet of this entrance" or use similar language. Signs must be visible at each public entrance.

Often smoke-free air policies in the workplace will encourage employees who smoke to consider quitting.

To order a free toolkit or to learn more about the Indiana Smoke Free Air Law, visit www.breatheindiana.com.

Business owners with questions may also contact Hazel at (812) 232-5190 or alia@cfiy.org.

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  • They take god and prayer outta public, smokeing outta public, and laws even control what we do or say in many other stupid ways. Criminals have more rights than us, our kids have more rights than us.... We are not free in this country, makes you wonder what our troops are really fighting for... Job oppritunitys, ya what ever. Companys are so set on cutbacks and lower pay that all we do is break even. Im so sick of not being free that if I could afford to move to the ussr I would. At least you dont have people telling u how to live, and u wont have to work ur &ss off for nothing becuz theyll take it anyways, kinda like our goverment does now.

    -- Posted by etphonehome on Thu, Jun 28, 2012, at 12:43 PM
  • Is that why they put the picnic table out in the courthouse lawn? Because where they smoke now it's definitely not eight feet away from an entrance. Or will the Department heads keep on top of it. My thinking is they will let their employees do what they want since they don't control the parking issue like they were told to do. If someone continues to smoke at the door will they find the individual or fine the department in which they work? Or both!!!

    -- Posted by putcocvb on Thu, Jun 28, 2012, at 2:05 PM
  • etphonehome...There hasn't been a ussr since 1991. Do you mean Russia? Of course not everyone is going to like every law..that's life. What about MY right to breathe a smoke free, cancer free air? Or my asthmatic son's right to be able to go out to eat with his family and not have to use his inhaler? Some say stay home and eat, and I say stay home and smoke. No one is taking your right to smoke away, just your ability to put others at risk with it. Just like you can own a gun, you can take that gun out and shoot targets with it at your home, and you can hunt with it. But you can't bring it into a building full of people and wave it around putting them at risk for injury or death.

    And just a tip..you would have more of an impact with your opinion, if you used proper grammar and spelling. I'm up for a good debate but it's hard to take someone seriously when they use words like "outta", "becuz", and misspell at least one word in almost every sentence.

    -- Posted by putnammom on Fri, Jun 29, 2012, at 1:01 AM
  • Putnammom, u need to read what I said again and think about it. Did I say that I smoked. You must be one of those perfect people that complains to much and you probly even helped by being on of those who took prayer out of school. Its people like you who is hippocriticle about others and what ever we say u love twisting it around. I dont smoke, I said that the laws are to stupidly strick on alot of things. I also was putting things in terms that we are not a free country or that it seems to me that they take away to much from us now. So saying all that, I need u to reread what it was I said the first time. Maybe I cant spell to well and my grammer isnt great, but I can read something and comprehind it good, so ill learn how to spell and u learn how to comprihind (help me spell that big word) then we can have a debate that u were asking for.

    -- Posted by etphonehome on Fri, Jun 29, 2012, at 7:06 AM
  • You have the ability to comprehend? When did I say you smoked? I said you had the right to smoke. I never said you did. And no, I am not perfect, and no I didn't support taking prayer out of school. I'm not a religious person. But I have no problem with others that are. Saying a prayer next to me isn't putting my health at risk. Taking prayer out of school is not something I really have an opinion about. It doesn't bother me but I also understand that families have different religions and that one religion shouldn't be the focus in school. School is for learning and worshipping can be done in the place your religion goes to do that. As far as thinking this is not a free country, I could not disagree more. Just because there are laws to protect people doesn't make it a "not free" country. Actually taking prayer out of school makes this country more free, than if they shoved one religion down the throat of everyone. Your idea of free is accommodating one group (the smokers, the christians, etc) What about everyone else?

    -- Posted by putnammom on Fri, Jun 29, 2012, at 11:07 AM
  • What's next, mandating that all restaurants don't use penuts for people that are allergic to them? This decision should be left up to the business owners and no one else. If you don't like going to restaurants that allow smoking then don't go or better yet start a competing restaurant that is smoke free. If enough people agree with you then you'll eventually force the restaurant to change or you'll run them out of business. Government should stop trying to dictate how we live and allow individuals and businesses to make their own decisions.

    -- Posted by hometownboy on Fri, Jun 29, 2012, at 2:55 PM
  • @etphonehome if the grass is so green on the other side then be our guest and move to a different country. If you think you have it soo bad here in the U.S. then try going go to another country where youll have to fear for your life and families life everyday. Then and only then complain about how you have no freedoms! Because Im pretty sure your not a slave, your not starving, and obviously you have enough time and money to be on the internet and I suppose that means your not dying at the moment either! Life is not easy anywhere everyone has problem daily, but you should be thankful that us AMERICANS have it so well, because it could always be worse!! Learn how to spell bc you look like a fool trying to insult someone when you have such horrible grammar and spelling. If you or anyone else has a problem with the new law and cant take your lazy butt outside to smoke then maybe you shouldnt smoke because the governments not making you smoke its just keeping you from harming others in the process!

    -- Posted by CocoLatte on Fri, Jun 29, 2012, at 5:59 PM
  • putnammom, you should start your own school or something. I have seen all of your postings this past week and you seem like a know it all. Maybe cocolatta can be your first student.. And yes cocolatta, I have alot of money and time, my spellings off do to a stroke putnam mom, so what you gotta say about that. Your missing my whole point about freedom. Some laws dont make sinse at all. Thats why theres republicans and democrates in washington, but putnam county has putnammom.

    -- Posted by etphonehome on Fri, Jun 29, 2012, at 10:24 PM
  • Maybe you should establish your own country where there are no laws to protect the citizens, you and others may not agree with all laws but the government makes these laws to protect americans as a whole. They dont make these laws based on what one person like or wants, they do it based on whats BEST for EVERYONE NOT JUST ONE PERSON. Sorry you had a stroke :/ I was not trying to belittle you.

    -- Posted by CocoLatte on Sat, Jun 30, 2012, at 1:20 AM
  • That's funny that you have seen so many of my comments this past week bc this is the ONLY article I have commented on in weeks. With the exception of today's police officer shooting article. I'm sorry if you have really had a stroke. Personally I don't believe you, especially after you just lied and said you saw "all my postings in the past week". I would certainly hope that someone wouldn't say they had a stroke when they haven't just to make someone feel bad for calling them out on their spelling and grammar. That would be the lowest of all lows. And because I believe you lied I won't be commenting back. I don't converse with someone I believe is a liar. So take care, and if you have had a stroke, I hope you continue to recover.

    -- Posted by putnammom on Sun, Jul 1, 2012, at 10:55 AM
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