November 2, 2007 - The prohibition of smoking in public buildings in the City of Chillicothe will go into effect Jan. 1, 2008, and business owners around the city are currently receiving “No Smoking” decals to post prominently in all entrances of their buildings. The ordinance to prohibit smoking in all enclosed public places was approved early this year after the voters of Chillicothe voted to endorse a smoking ordinance. This includes, but is not limited to, any commercial facility such as retail stores, banks, office buildings, offices, restaurants, bars, rest rooms, and private clubs. Roze Frampton, city clerk, sent the decals to business owners within the city early this week and those who did not receive one should contact Frampton at Chillicothe City Hall.

Under the smoke-free ordinance, smoking will be prohibited in any transportation vehicle, but not limited to buses, limousines for hire and taxicabs, libraries, educational facilities, day care facilities, museums, auditoriums and art galleries. It will be prohibited from health care facilities, health clinics, ambulatory care facilities including, but not limited to, laboratories associated with the rendition of health care treatment, hospitals, rest homes, nursing homes, long-term care facilities and offices of health professionals. Smoking will be prohibited in any indoor place of entertainment or recreation including, but not limited to, gymnasiums, theatres, concert halls, bingo halls, arenas and swimming pools; all public areas and waiting rooms of public transportation facilities including, but not limited to, bus and airport facilities, any other enclosed areas serving as a place of work or used by the public including open office landscaping and shopping malls, rooms in which meetings or hearings open to the public are held, except where such rooms are in private residence; anywhere in any building owned or managed by the city, within 20 feet of an entrance to any structure in which smoking is prohibited or limited by this article. This subsection shall not apply to any person in a motor vehicle or to any person merely passing by an entrance to a structure. The smoking ban will also apply to the seating areas and enclosed spaces of any stadium, outdoor arena or athletic field, subject to the provisions of another city ordinance.