Proposal Would Put Statewide Smoking Ban To A Vote Of The People
Oklahoma lawmaker proposes legislation to make public places smoke-free
By Jaclyn Cosgrove, NewsOK
For several years, Oklahoma has ranked among the worst states in the nation for health, plagued with high rates of heart disease, stroke, cancers and lung diseases.
And for several years, public health leaders have preached repeatedly how changing one thing could turn a lot of that around: the number of Oklahomans who smoke.
Sen. A.J. Griffin, R-Guthrie, has decided to help lead that charge in the legislative session that starts Feb. 2, by filing Senate Joint Resolution 24, a measure that would prohibit smoking in public places, including restaurants, bars and bingo halls, among other places. The proposed legislation doesn’t apply to electronic cigarettes.
If the resolution were to pass, it would go to a vote of the people Nov. 8, 2016, Griffin said.