Bill tinkers with Ohio’s smoking ban

Publication Date: 2007-04-03

• Author:Brad Bauer
• Publication:The Marietta Times

Proposed changes last week to Ohio’s new smoking ban would allow smoking in some private clubs, which is what club members thought they were voting for all along, said Ronnie Davis, quartermaster of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5108 in Marietta...

Ohio businesses were forced to ban smoking after the statewide smoking ban went into effect in early December. The ban was a result of a statewide ballot initiative that was approved by 58 percent of voters in 2006.

Some 280,000 Ohio businesses are required to prohibit smoking, remove ashtrays and post no-smoking signs, according to the Ohio Department of Health. The few exceptions include tobacco shops, designated hotel rooms and posted areas in nursing homes.

Private club members argued they were supposed to be exempt from the law, too.