Oklahoma Cigar Shops Could Lose Smoking Ban Exemption

An Oklahoma legislator has introduced a bill that would remove an exemption for cigar shops and cigar bars from the state’s Workplace Clean Air Act, meaning that customers would no longer be allowed to light up inside.

H.B. 2288 is authored by Rep. Harold Wright, R-Weatherford, and it would also remove the exemptions for private clubs, nursing homes and hotel and motel guest rooms. Smoking would also become prohibited on all outdoor areas of bars and restaurants, outdoor shopping malls, recreation areas and adjacent parking areas.

It would also create a ban on smoking within 25 feet of anywhere where smoking is prohibited, as well as from certain outdoor areas.

Violators would be fined up to $100 for smoking in a prohibited area, while workplaces who fail to prohibit smoking would face fines starting at $100 and escalating to $500 for multiple violations within in a year.

The bill has already been approved by the House Committee on Public Health by a 7-3 vote on Feb. 19. If it were to pass, the exemption would end on Nov. 1, 2019.

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.