Tennessee Smoking Ban Goes into Effect October 1

According to the Tennessee Department of Health news release, Tennessee residents will no longer be able to smoke anywhere they want, effective October 1.

Under the new law in Tennessee, smoking will be illegal in restaurants, public and private educational facilities, heath care facilities, hotels and motels, retail store as well as shopping malls, sports arenas, restrooms, lobbies, reception areas, hallways, lobbies and hallways in apartment buildings, child care and adult daycare facilities.

October 1st, Tennessee residents who were use to smoking inside diners and smoking while they shops will now be smoke free. Once the law goes into effect on October 1st, a "No-Smoking" sign must be clearly visible to all those who come in and out of the establishment. Some establishments will still e aloud to have patrons smoking in them, such as bars who serve people over the age of 21, non-enclosed areas of public places, which include open air patios, porches, and decks, designated smoking rooms in hotels and motels, and private clubs.

If you get caught smoking in an area that is designated you will be charged a civil penalty of $50.00. If a business does not comply with the new smoking law, the first violation in a twelve month period will be a written warning, a second violation in a twelve month period will result in a fine of $100.00, and third violation in a twelve month period will result in a fine of $500.00.

Other places that will be exempt from the non-smoking law will be private homes, private residences, private motor vehicles, private businesses with three of fewer employees, tobacco manufacturers, importers and wholesalers, retail tobacco stores that do not allow minors, nursing homes and long term health care facilities, and commercial vehicles that are used by the operator.

With this new law going into effect, Tennessee also offers residents a smokers quit line that is 100% free of charge. For anyone who is looking to quit smoking and just needs a little help to do so, all you have to do is pick up your phone and dial 1-800-QUIT-NOW. After just 24 months, 25 percent of those who call are completely smoke free.

To learn more about the new non-smoking law in Tennessee, just go to www.legislature.state.tn.us/bills/currentga/Amend/HA0739.pdf. and read the entire law as it has been presented. According to the American Heart Association, in the United States alone, 25.1 million men and 20.9 million women are smokers. Thats nearly 56 million people in the United States alone.

SOURCE : Tennessee Non-Smokers Protection Act
http://health.state.tn.us/smokefreetennessee/

SOURCE : Cigarette Smoking Statistics
http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4559