Officials in another western Kentucky city have taken a preliminary vote to ban smoking. The Kentucky New Era reports the Hopkinsville City Council narrowly passed a first reading of the measure during a meeting Tuesday night in which the mayor cast the deciding vote. A second reading must be approved before the law takes effect.
Advocates of a statewide smoking ban are taking their issue on a five day tour before Fancy Farm to drum up support. The Smoke Free Kentucky Coalition has pushed a statewide smoking ban law in the General Assembly for the last two years. And they are making next year’s legislative session a key moment in their fight.
A new poll by a nonpartisan health organization suggests a majority of Kentuckians would support a statewide smoking ban. The Kentucky Health Issues Poll is conducted by the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky. And its 2011 poll, taken last fall and released this week, shows that 54 percent of Kentuckians would approve an indoor statewide smoking ban.
