Tweaks Made To Smoking Ban In Montgomery County

Montgomery County council members have made some changes to a bill that would expand the county's smoking ban.

A council committee added bus shelters and bus stops to the bill, which would ban smoking on most county-owned and leased property. That move was made despite concerns about how the ban would be enforced at shelters and stops.

Councilwoman Nancy Floreen, who's sponsoring the bill, doesn't share those worries.

"It's so Montgomery County," Floreen says. "We worry about all the details. How do we let people know; who do you complain to?"

Floreen says it will be up to residents to file the complaints, but she doesn't think most will go that far.

"It really is an opportunity for one resident to say to another 'By the way, you know, smoking is not allowed here?' I don't think it's going to be a huge enforcement issue," Floreen says.

County-owned golf courses were removed from the expanded ban, while county-owned addiction treatment centers would be allowed to have smoking areas for individuals in treatment.