The Paducah Board of Commissioners introduced an ordinance Tuesday to amend the city’s smoking ban ordinance to continue the prohibition in enclosed public places and extend it to all places of employment.
Commissioners discussed possible exemptions, like hotels that allow smoking rooms and private establishments where people pay dues for membership. But, Kentucky Center for Smoke-free Policy air quality data coordinator Amanda Bucher said there is only one type of ordinance that will protect the health of the community.
“There is only one kind that produces the health effects that we want--reduce hospitalizations, reduced healthcare costs--those kind of things,” Bucher said. “And that is a comprehensive ordinance that does include all workplaces and all public places.”
Under the ordinance, electronic smoking devices would also be included in the ban. The amendment would also prohibit smoking in city-owned outdoor areas including playgrounds and public parks. Commissioner Allan Rhodes said he was surprised that larger cities like Lexington and Elizabethtown were not the “gold standard” with regards to smoking ordinances.
“I kind of felt through this whole thing we were trying to match them," Rhodes said. "We’re going to leapfrog them by private clubs, by hotels, by parks…”
Paducah’s existing ordinance prohibits the smoking of tobacco products in buildings open to the public. No date has been announced for a second reading of the ordinance.
