John Viola (D-Newark), the Delaware House Majority Whip, has introduced legislation in the state house that would remove the exemption to the state’s Indoor Clean Air Act that allows smoking in private clubs and volunteer fire companies.

House Bill 404, introduced on June 12, would strike those two exemptions from the Delaware Code. Viola told WDDE that he has been told of veterans who are unable to use local Veterans of Foreign Wars halls and other such facilities because smoking affects their respiratory conditions. He also said there are instances where civilians are club members and take advantages of the cheaper drinks, slot machines and smoking allowances, thereby keeping veterans out of those facilities.

Viola said he doesn’t expect the bill to gain much traction, with only one other representative signed on as a co-sponsor so far. Upon its introduction, the bill was referred to the House Health & Human Development Committee.

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.