The chair of Kentucky's Smoke Free Coalition hopes a tobacco-free state government policy will prompt lawmakers to pass a statewide indoor workplace smoking ban.
Governor Beshear's executive order prohibiting tobacco products both inside and outside state buildings went into effect Thursday.
The coalition's Amy Barkley says it's high time the general assembly acted on statewide legislation. "This will be our fifth year that we've had a bill and we want no more excuses. We, as in the Smoke Free Coalition, which is more than 500 organizations across the state and many thousands of people who've contacted their legislators," says Barkley. "We don't want to wait anymore. We think there is absolutely no excuse for inaction."
Barkley is hoping the legislature acts early in its 30 day session on the smoke free bill. She says a piecemeal approach to the issue is not working. "We can't wait for every employer to come on board the way the state government has or for every single local community to act," added Barkley. "It's just gonna take too long."
Effective Thursday, an executive order barred the use of any tobacco product on state government properties. The start date coincides with the annual Great American Smokeout.
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