A rural county in Nebraska has decided to make all of its grounds tobacco and smoke free as of May 1.

“We feel it is an important step for the County to model good health to the community,” said Michelle Robinson, Box Butte County assessor, in a press release. “We are working diligently to provide tobacco‐free support and resources to staff and visitors as we go tobacco‐free,” she added.

The ban applies to all Box Butte County facilities, county grounds, and county vehicles. Fines were not been disclosed by the county in the announcement.

Box Butte County is located in the northwestern corner of the state and is home to just over 11,000 residents.

Avatar photo

Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for MLB.com, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.