Anti-smoking groups react to altered smoking ban

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - Two local anti-tobacco groups say Indiana's proposed smoking ban contains too many exemptions and would be an embarrassment if passed.

When the proposed smoking ban moved through the House it had few exemptions, but the Senate version would allow places like casinos, bars, and private clubs to opt out.

"We're horrified," said Kevin O'Flaherty with the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids. "It has taken what has started off as a very good attempt at creating a smoke-free workplace law and turned it into little more than a smoke-free restaurant law."

O'Flaherty isn't the only one let down by the smoking ban's current state. Amanda Fall with Tobacco Free Allen County said she's also disappointed.

"Our hope was that all Hoosier workers would be protected by the state smoking ban - that means people who work in bars, people who work in casinos, people who work everywhere," Fall said.

If the bill gets passed the way it is now with all of the exemptions, representatives from both groups said they'd rather see it be thrown out than passed.

"This is not protecting enough Hoosiers," said Fall. "There's still a lot of workers that are not protected by this law the way it's currently written."

A recent study found 70 percent of Hoosier voters want smoke-free workplaces, restaurants, and bars.

O'Flaherty says the bill as it's written now doesn't even get halfway there. "I do believe that the conference committee will be able to craft a stronger version, but the question is, 'Will it be strong enough to give Hoosiers what they want and what they deserve and what the governor's insisting on?'""

Fall said if the bill passes, it would be an embarrassment to the state. "It would be one of the weakest, if not the weakest, laws in the nation," she said.

The statewide ban, if passed, would still allow local governments to keep or create stronger bans.