The Berkeley County (WV) Board of Health has been petitioned to expand the existing smoking ban to prohibit lighting up in bars, private clubs, parks and fairs and similar events.

A group called A Tobacco Awareness Coalition submitted the request, with county health officer Dr. Diana Gaviria, who is also a member of the coalition, telling Journal-News.net that their proposal would make the smoking ban more comprehensive by covering all work places’ employees as well as public spaces.

The board received the formal proposal at their February 18 meeting and could decide how to proceed with it at their next meeting, currently scheduled for March 18. One of the first steps would be to put it out for public comment.

While the county’s original ordinance was enacted in 2001, an exemption was created for retail tobacconists in 2010.

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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 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.