Arizona Less Than a Month Away from Going Smoke-Free

We are getting closer to the day when Arizona businesses will be going smoke free and health officials are looking forward to May 1.

May 1 is when the voter approved initiative takes affect.

Most businesses will be smoke free. There are some areas where you can smoke.

"Patios do not have to be smoke free, so the non-smoking section will no longer be out in the patio. That's where people will be smoking," says Janey Pearl of the Arizona Department of Health Services.

"Most indoor public places are smoke-free. There are exceptions: Veterans and fraternal clubs, Indian communities, there are those exceptions. But most public places go smoke-free."

"And also outside of the indoor public space, on a 20 foot radius outside the space that also has to be smoke free just to assure that people don't have to walk through a cloud of smoke to enter an establishment."

AHS' Web site, www.smokefreearizona.org, is where you can find you'll find a link that can get you many of the things you need for your business to be smoke free.

"Downloadable signs, frequently asked questions, checklists on how to better prepare and once the law is effective, that is where people can go to submit complaints. So, if there is a business that's not complying, that's where you can go and let us know."