County expands no smoking regulations

Published on Tuesday, July 22, 2008 1:50 PM MDT

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

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Comments

The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of the Sidney Herald.

sonny wrote on Aug 5, 2008 1:54 PM:

" i wonder if those people who git on that {smoke is so bad for your health}band wagon,have ever took a real good look at what they are eating??? STOP EATING???? git a life lets "

Ken wrote on Jul 25, 2008 6:06 PM:

" , I'm wondering why nobody thought of building a lean to away from the building for smoking purposes. just a little something for those who do smoke to be out of the sun in the summer and out of the cold in the winter , that way the smokers would not only be away from the building but away from the entrances? sounds simple to me "

nobody wrote on Jul 24, 2008 12:47 PM:

" Mel I don't smoke either.

In fact, I'm allergic to smoke and I wish that no person smoked because I personally believe its a bad lifestyle choice. But the fact of the matter is people do choose to smoke.

I am only stating that by fixing one problem with a law, let's ensure in some way that we don't create another bigger problem. Yeah cigarettes are believed to kill people, but so can exposure - not everyone who smokes has a car.

I'm just saying think about it all the way around. In theory it sounds like a good idea to ban smoking near entrances - at least I won't get a lung full of toxins upon simply exiting a building - unless a Diesel has been left running out front, which to me that's worse than any smoker's small puff. So why not ban those too for our health? "

Linda wrote on Jul 24, 2008 10:29 AM:

" I am a smoker, but I do think that something needs to be done. I feel that the hospital idea (50 ft. from the building) is a fine idea. If people cannot walk that far to have a smoke, then chances are that they do not need it. As for nursing homes, I have seen many that have a "smoking room" outside of the building that people can choose to go into, or not, so that nobody will freeze to death.....that is an odd story....by doing so no one is getting special treatment, and no one has to breath in smoke that does not want to. "

Mel wrote on Jul 23, 2008 12:21 PM:

" Nobody~I am not cold or callous but elderly smokers, are adults who make their own decisions. If any person feels the urge to "freeze to death" to due the choice to smoke I have to wonder the state of mind. I also would be questioning the comptency of the staff members of the "alleged" nursing homes for allowing their elderly to wander so far away unattended.
I don't personally smoke and do not encourage my love ones to smoke either. Smoking is an individual choice and smokers should not be any more priveleged than those of us who don't. I think it is great that Richland County is taking a stand~and protecting those of us who really don't want to be exposed to the second hand smoke. "

nobody wrote on Jul 23, 2008 8:00 AM:

" The first year Washington State enforced this law - no smoking within so many feet of windows and entrances - they had a large number of elderly smokers from nursing homes freeze to death just trying to obey the rules while enjoying a smoke. Think about it before you do it. I know it sounds like a good idea, but also consider possible impacts. "

Randy wrote on Jul 23, 2008 12:33 AM:

" I've been to several large hospitals in Clark County, NV - Each of those prohibits smoking within 50 feet of any entrance, and this prohibition is clearly posted. Why can't Richland County do the same? This would keep entrances clear while accomodating the smokers at the same time. "

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