WV smoking regulations

The West Virginia Legislature has seen fit to not enact any statewide regulations or laws pertaining to indoor smoking in public places. Neither has the Ohio General Assembly. However, Ohio allows residents to vote on some types of legislation. Because of that, voters approved strict smoking regulations that take effect next month.

Regulating smoking in West Virginia is done by the 55 county boards of health. That has led to differing regulations in different counties. For the sake of fairness and just being able to keep up with things, it might be easier for the Legislature to settle the issue itself.

There’s a danger in this, however. Legislators are well known for slipping poison pills into legislation so the new law accomplishes the exact opposite of what the public is lead to believe is happening. So people will have to watch very carefully as the Legislature acts, lest lawmakers deliberately or inadvertently repeal all existing local bans.

Remember Sunday hunting, for example?

Maybe it's just as well the Legislature is letting this slide by.