Officials to strengthen penalties for smoking ban

Publication Date: 2009-10-06

• Author:Valerie Miller
• Publication:Las Vegas Business Press

The Nevada Supreme Court's decision to uphold the Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act has the Nevada State Division of Health preparing to strengthen penalties for the ban on smoking in bars.

Shortly after the Sept. 24 court ruling, health authorities began writing a "working draft" of proposed regulations for the Southern Nevada Health District. A copy of the draft rules obtained by the Business Press calls for penalties as severe as health permit revocation for taverns that fail to enforce the smoking ban.

Other proposed rules include a requirement for a "proprietor" of any "indoor place of employment," where smoking is prohibited, to "request" that those lighting up there "stop smoking immediately."