State buildings to go smoke-free

Publication Date: 2006-07-12

• Author:Joseph Gerth
• Publication:The Courier-Journal

Fletcher signs order; not all will be affected

Thousands of state buildings will become smoke-free next month, as a result of an order Gov. Ernie Fletcher signed yesterday.

"This is an unprecedented step toward creating a healthier work environment for thousands of our state employees and those that are visiting our state office buildings," said Fletcher, a physician. "It sends a message to all Kentuckians about the risk of secondhand smoke."

A law that takes effect today allowed him to snuff out smoking in the vast majority of 9,000 buildings that he controls throughout the state. The ban won't apply to areas of the Capitol and Capitol Annex controlled by the legislative and judicial branches of government...

Fletcher's ban would not extend to offices controlled by state constitutional officers, but some of those offices are already smoke free and some plan to follow Fletcher's lead.