June 28, 2016 Patrick Lagreid Regulations,  Smoking Bans

Mission, Texas Passes New Smoking Ban

On Monday night the mayor and city council of Mission, Texas voted unanimously to pass a sweeping overhaul of the  city’s existing smoking ban, making it tougher for someone to light up.

The new ban effectively repeals the existing ban that provided for separate smoking areas. Now, smokers will have to be at least 20 feet away from doors, windows and ventilation systems of enclosed areas before they are allowed to smoke legally. That distance also applies to stadiums, sports facilities and amphitheaters. If a smoker doesn’t comply, they will be subject to fines starting at $200 for a first offense and escalating to $500 for a second offense and $2,000 for a third.

However, smokers will still be allowed to light up in retail tobacco store, in designated smoking areas on a restaurant’s outdoor patio, as well as in a portion of hotel and motel rooms as well as private residences.

The new ban goes into effect in 90 days, according to The Monitor. The city has not yet posted the ban on its website.

Mission is located at the southern tip of Texas, adjacent to McAllen and the Mexican border. It is home to just over 80,000 residents.

Hidalgo County Mission Smoking Bans Texas
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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 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.

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