Ohio smoking ban includes big rigs
Associated Press
CLEVELAND - Truckers who want to light up a cigarette in their cabs better think twice. The statewide smoking ban that takes effect Thursday includes company vehicles, with only a few exceptions.
"How are they going to enforce such a ridiculous law?" asked Steve Kerr, a 55-year-old truck driver for United Parcel Service.
The law, passed by voters Nov. 7, prohibits smoking in nearly all public buildings and work places. Exceptions include tobacco shops, designated hotel rooms and enclosed areas of nursing homes.
The truck-driving provision was included to protect employees in vehicles used by more than one person, even if it's different drivers on the road at different times, said Tracy Sabetta, head of the SmokeFreeOhio campaign, which backed the law.
Enforcement is based on complaints.
"I don't think we'll see health inspectors climbing into the truck to issue a citation," Sabetta said.
Family owned and operated trucks are exempt if drivers are related to the owner, said Kristopher Weiss, spokesman for the Ohio Department of Health. An out-of-state trucker crossing into Ohio can light up, he said.
Larry Davis, president of the Ohio Trucking Association, said the group will ask the Legislature to exempt truck drivers. He said trucking companies report 40 percent to 75 percent of their drivers smoke.
"The whole idea of the smoking ban is secondhand smoke," Davis said. "If you're talking about one guy in one truck, how is that secondhand smoke?"
Cleveland-area trucker Zika Milojevic, 52, said the smoking ban was a serious matter.
"When you get sleepy, you light up a cigarette and, believe me, you wake up," he said.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Information from: The Plain Dealer,
http://www.cleveland.com
M O R E N E W S F R O M
• Transportation
• Trucking
• United Parcel Service
• Smoking
• Medicine
• Truckers
• Air Courier
• Health
• Discuss Health ben le voila
