County expands no smoking regulations

The new county smoke-free policy was further discussed on Monday during a meeting with county commissioners.

Holly Salsbury with the Montana Tobacco Use Prevention Program met with county commissioners to decide on the final terminology to use in the policy.

One of the main concerns the commissioners had was in regards to how the smoke-free campus policy would affect the mental health day treatment patients at the new community services building. Salsbury spoke with Rachel Derry, director of the program, and according to Salsbury, Derry only asked where patients who smoke can go?

County commissioners Mark Rehbein and Don Steppler, along with Salsbury, discussed several options including: building a kiosk, a smoking section out of the east wing door, across the street or inside their car.

Salsbury expressed her concern with allowing smokers around the building.

“The issue is not with people smoking in their cars,” Salsbury said. “I would like to keep the second-hand smoke away from windows and the entrances.”

The main concern both Rehbein and Steppler had for making all county building campuses and county parks smoke-free was the issue of enforcement.

“I don’t want to get into something we can’t police,” Rehbein said.

Salsbury said that it would not be a matter of issuing tickets, but educating people to the new rules.

“It is a matter of getting the word out,” Salsbury said. “This is a social norm change and will take a long time.”

After discussion, it was decided that the policy would state that within county buildings and a 15-foot radius of the building will be smoke-free. The only change is the additional 15-foot radius. The inside of the county buildings and county vehicles have been smoke-free for several years.

reporter@sidneyherald.com