Smoke-free zone 20 feet from door
By Becky Pallack
ARIZONA DAILY STAR
the New Rules:
1The "reasonable distance" between a smoker and a restaurant door or window is 20 feet. It's a compromise between the 15-foot rule that Pima County has in place and the 25 feet that the American Lung Association of Arizona had requested. The state Department of Health Service's Will Humble said 20 feet is the generally accepted distance to prevent tobacco smoke from getting indoors. "We wanted to use a distance that would be large enough to be effective, but not so large that it would be unnecessarily restrictive," he said.
2The smoke-free zone doesn't apply to patio doors, but owners still are responsible for making sure smoke doesn't get inside, Humble said. The zone does apply to employee entrances, which must be smoke-free.
3The same rules that veterans centers and fraternal clubs must follow for liquor laws will apply to smoking. When a club is open only to members and their invited guests, smoking is allowed. But for public events, such as bingo night or a fish fry, smoking is prohibited.
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The final call is in on the smoke-free zone around restaurants, bars and other businesses: no smoking in the 20 feet around entrance doors.
The permanent rules for the voter-approved Smoke Free Arizona Act were published this morning by the Arizona Department of Health Services at www.smokefreearizona.org.
There are three main changes from the working rules to the permanent rules, said Will Humble, deputy assistant director.
Here's what you need to know before the law takes affect May 1.
the New Rules:
1The "reasonable distance" between a smoker and a restaurant door or window is 20 feet. It's a compromise between the 15-foot rule that Pima County has in place and the 25 feet that the American Lung Association of Arizona had requested. The state Department of Health Service's Will Humble said 20 feet is the generally accepted distance to prevent tobacco smoke from getting indoors. "We wanted to use a distance that would be large enough to be effective, but not so large that it would be unnecessarily restrictive," he said.
2The smoke-free zone doesn't apply to patio doors, but owners still are responsible for making sure smoke doesn't get inside, Humble said. The zone does apply to employee entrances, which must be smoke-free.
3The same rules that veterans centers and fraternal clubs must follow for liquor laws will apply to smoking. When a club is open only to members and their invited guests, smoking is allowed. But for public events, such as bingo night or a fish fry, smoking is prohibited.
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