State Status
No Preemption
Pending Legislation
News Summary
Smoke Less initiative will be on November ballot
Publication Date: 2006-09-28
- Publication:Dayton Business Journal
Voters will be able to decide this fall how much freedom bars and restaurants have in setting smoking policies through Issues 4 and 5.
The Secretary of State's office validated about 730,000 petition signatures from Ohio's 88 counties supporting the Smoke Less Ohio initiative, well over the minimum required 322,899 signature from 44 counties, supporters of the initiative said late Wednesday.
Smoke Less Ohio, which will be known as Issue 4 on the ballot, would ban smoking in 90 percent of businesses. But for venues that primarily serve adults, it would allow those business to determine their own smoking policy.
Issue 4 is backed by the Ohio Licensed Beverage Association and Retail Tobacco Dealers Association, among almost a dozen other organizations and nearly 500 bars and restaurants in Ohio.
Also on the ballot is Issue 5, the Smoke Free Ohio initiative. If passed, smoking will be banned in all public places in the state. The American Cancer Society and about 500 businesses and organizations support that initiative.