Tobacco Documents Online

c THE TOBACCO INSTITUTE 1776 K STREET. NORTH1h'EST/WASHINGTON, D.C. 20006 202/457-4800 TO: JACK KELLY FROM: RIC SCANLAN RE; WESTCHESTER COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH June RICHARD E. SCAtiLAN. JR. Public Affairs Manager Middle Atlantic States 8 North Ferry Street Schenectady.N:Y.12305 518/ROMN 382-5575 1, 1978 The Westchester County Board of Health is consideririg amendments to the County Sanitary Code (attached) which would restrict smoking in public places. The Board failed to take any action on these amend- ments at its May 24th meeting, but will hear presentations by the County Restaurant Association and others at its June 22nd meeting. The proposed amendments are similar to other Clean Indoor Air statutes being considered throughout the country. Smoking would be prohibited in a public place and at public meetings, except in desig- nated smoking areas. This prohibition would not apply in cases in which an entire room or hall is used for a private social function and seating arrangements are under the control of the sponsor of the function. Where smoking areas are designated', a prominent sign would be required to indicate their location, and existing physical barriers and adequate ventilation systems would be used to minimize smoke in adjacent non-smoking areas. A "Public Place" is defined in the proposed amendments as "any enclosed, indoor area used by the general public or serving the public as a place of work, including, but not limited to, restaurants, retail stores, public conveyances, educational facilities, general hospitals, nursing homes, auditoriums, theaters, libraries, museums, arenas and meeting rooms, rest rooms and elevators, but not including private enclosed offices occutpied exclusively by smokers even though such offices may be visited by non-smokers." .A "Placof Work" would mean any location serving the public at which ten or more individuals perform any type of task. Restaurants would not be included under the provisions of the amendments unless they seat more than 100 persons and they have two or more dining rooms. Bars, taverns or cocktail lounges are exempted from the amendments. No penalty provisions are included in the 2nd draft of the amend- ments, but the responsible person would be required to post appropri- ate "Smoking Permitted" and "No Smoking" signs in conspicuous places. - Although the lst draft amendments were approved by the Board of Health earlier this year by a wide margin, considerable opposition to the 2nd draft amendments is now being generated. I am of the opinion that with additional opposition to these amendments by the parties A affected, the amendments can be defeated by the Board of Health. I would therefore suggest that letters be addressed to the following: 03595219

c Page Two Jack Kelly Dr. E. Franklin Hall Acting Commissioner of Health Westchester County Board of Health 150 Grand Avenue White Plains, New York Alfred B. Del Bello County Executive: County Office Building White Plains, New York 10601 Andrew P. O'Rourke, Chairman Board of Legislators County Office Building White Plains, New York 10601 I will continue to update you as this matter develops, and if you have any questions, please call upon me.