City Bans Smoking in Unlikeliest State

Yahoo! News ^ | Fri Jul 4, 7:30 AM ET | Reuters

[yonif]

CHICAGO (Reuters) - A smoking ban has been passed in the unlikely city of Lexington, Kentucky, the second-largest city in a leading tobacco-growing state that has the highest percentage of adult smokers in the United States.

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council, following in the anti-smoking footsteps of much larger entities such as New York City and the state of California, voted 11-3 to prohibit smoking in public buildings, including racetracks, restaurants and bars.

Thirty-one percent of adult Kentuckians smoke, compared to 23 percent nationally, and the state is the second-leading tobacco producer after North Carolina.

Violators would be hit by a $100 fine for the first offense, escalating up to $500.

[gcruse]

This just in -- Newcastle outlaws coal.

[LanPB01]

I'm currently living in Lexington, after having lived four years in Louisville, and three years in northern Kentucky just outside of Cincinnati. For some reason, Lexington suffers from an inferiority complex when compared with northern Kentucky and especially when compared to Louisville. A few years ago, Lexington played fast and loose with demographics, and started proclaiming that it was, in fact, the largest city in Kentucky. Anyone that is familiar with Lexington and Louisville knows how absurd this statement is. The Lexington Herald-Leader got so excited, they printed "We're No.1!" as the lead story one day.

This smoking ban is just another pathetic attempt to make Lexington feel important. I'd bet dollars to donuts that some city council member read about New York's ban, and realizing this was yet another chance for Lexington to label itself as "progressive," jumped on the bandwagon as well. There's also currently a battle for Lexington to condemn and buy the local water company, even though no claims or charges have been issued as to problems with the company. No, it's just another chance for the power hungry city council to extend their authority even further.

[gcruse]

It was a kind of shock a few years ago -- the 2000 census maybe, when San Jose became the second largest city in
California. But when we thought about it, it made sense.
San Francisco is on a peninsula and jam packed already. It
can't grow any more.

[DannyTN]

In Kentucky

Bourbon county is dry
and Christian county is wet

[squidly]

Well, Lynchburg, TN is a dry county.

[toddst]

This smoking ban is just another pathetic attempt to make Lexington feel important. I'd bet dollars to donuts that some city council member read about New York's ban, and realizing this was yet another chance for Lexington to label itself as "progressive," jumped on the bandwagon as well. . . . it's just another chance for the power hungry city council to extend their authority even further.

You are almost right. The council members and our new mayor want to extend their power and feel important. I have dealt with many on the council over various "real" issues (sewers, roads, land-use) and these people have a very distorted view of their importance.

This smoking ban won't stand. Businesses are seriously threatened by the ban, not to mention the "nanny state" side of the whole issue.

What we'll bring about is replacement of council members and the mayor with people who have their priorities straight. Just watch.

[packrat35]

True but that is a quirk of TN law after Prohibition. A county has to have 7500 people and a city with 2500 in order to vote to be wet. Lynchburg has neither.

Also most adults in Lynchburg drink and unlike most "dry" counties I have been in, it is not illegal to have alchol in the county, just illegal to sell it.

[faithincowboys]

Did Democrats or Republicans vote for it?

[Just another Joe]

Puff

[Scenic Sounds]

A smoking ban has been passed in the unlikely city of Lexington, Kentucky, the second-largest city in a leading tobacco-growing state that has the highest percentage of adult smokers in the United States.

It's outrageous that people should be forbidden to smoke in a restaurant where they are still allowed to eat a McDonalds hamburger. ;-)

[Tench_Coxe]

So one always knows they're approaching a dry county by the continuous chain of liquor ( package ) stores at the county line. Helpful, really.

[PatrioticAmerican]

Aspen outlaws snow!

[Fred Mertz]

Lexington must be full of candy-a$$ sheep.

[PatrioticAmerican]

We never learned from Prohibition, did we?

[Gabz]

it's just another chance for the power hungry city council to extend their authority even further.

That's what all smoking bans are about - anywhere and everywhere.

POWER

[Snoopers-868th]

I like your response--the Attorneys General must sue McDonalds and other fast food chains to pay for the health care of the tunas and then put the money in the general fund! Oh, dear-what will our states do when the money dries up??

[Rodney King]

I'd bet dollars to donuts that some city council member read about New York's ban, and realizing this was yet another chance for Lexington to label itself as "progressive,"

I just moved to Oklahoma City from the NY area last year, and they have the same problem. They are constantly worried about what New York thinks about them.

I tell them "New York doesn't think about you. When they do, they think you are a bunch of backwards hicks. Meanwhile, everybody leaves their kids with nanies and baby sitters for 18 hours a day while they go around popping prozac and having affairs with each other. That's why I moved here. Trust me, you want as little to do with NY as possible."

It's quite frightening really, the constant worrying about what the Northeast thinks of Oklahoma.

[Ditter]

How sad, that OK cares what NY thinks about them. An inferiority complex is a terrible waste of energy. If NY only knew what Texas thinks of it. heh