It was just last November that the Lane County (Ore.) Commissioners rejected a proposed parks smoking ban out of concern for the 240 campgrounds it would have applied to, and the related enforcement challenges. The group promised to revisit the matter in early 2017, and today they found a way to deal with the campground concerns.

To appease those who had opposed the original bill, the commissioners agreed to allow county campgrounds to designate campsites where smoking will be allowed. Additionally, tobacco use in traditional Native American rituals is exempted from the ban.

The proposal passed 4-1, according to a report from the Register-GuardWhile it technically goes into effect in 30 days, enforcement will not begin until July 2018 to allow for a time of informing the public as well as installing signs throughout the affected areas.

Lane County is located in western Oregon and has a population of just over 356,000 people. It includes the city of Eugene, home to the University of Oregon.

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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, the G-League's Valley Suns, and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for Major League Baseball, 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.