County control of smoking laws eyed

Adrienne Packer

Wednesday, Feb. 17, 1999 | 11:48 a.m.

Smokers in the County Commission audience may have been shifting in their seats Tuesday when board member Erin Kenny requested the county take control of tobacco restrictions from the state.

But Kenny was quick to say she has no plans to prohibit smoking in restaurants.

"I have nothing in the works; I have stated nothing," Kenny said. "This is similar to the way I feel about zoning. I feel there should be local control."

Kenny said because the state oversees tobacco policies, Clark County cannot impose strict laws or make existing laws less stringent.

She suggested Tuesday that those responsibilities be transferred to the Clark County Health District, which includes representatives from every jurisdiction in the Las Vegas Valley.

"The Board of Health should determine what the regulations should be as opposed to the folks in Carson City telling us whether we should have stricter laws," Kenny said.

She hopes to have the existing law reworded during this legislative session so that it reads:

"An agency, board, commission or political subdivision of this state, including any agency, board, commission or governing body of a local government may (instead of shall not) impose more stringent restrictions on the smoking, use, sale, distribution, marketing, display or promotion of tobacco products ..."

Kenny said if the laws became more strict, few Clark County residents would be affected. The commissioner said some 72 percent of Nevada residents are nonsmokers. Most smokers are tourists.

Henderson, Las Vegas, North Las Vegas and Boulder City are expected to vote on the same resolution in the coming weeks.