When Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, Kelis, Mo'nique and Queen Latifah take the stage Aug. 13 for the Sugar Water Festival at Merriweather Post Pavilion, no wisps of cigarette smoke should be visible among the fans - even those sitting on the lawn.
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That is the day Howard County's new, tougher no-smoking law takes effect, though restaurants and bars that allow smoking have until June 7 next year to go smoke-free.
Howard County is the first jurisdiction in the Baltimore area to go totally smoke-free - following Montgomery, Prince George's and Talbot counties elsewhere in Maryland. The General Assembly has defeated smoke-free laws four years in a row, though advocates hope to get one passed eventually.
"I think it's a wonderful thing for the residents of Howard County to be able to visit any establishment they want and not be exposed to secondhand smoke," said Dr. Penny E. Borenstein, the county health officer. "It's a clear health risk and some individuals feel they cannot avoid that risk."
Borenstein pushed hard for the law, which after months of political wrangling on the County Council, was pushed through by sponsors County Executive James N. Robey, County Councilman Ken Ulman and the two other council Democrats.
County police officers, who will enforce the law on a complaint-only basis, will issue civil citations for fines of $100 for individuals, or $250 per infraction for owners or managers of businesses.
Sherry Llewellyn, a police spokeswoman, said officers are getting a training bulletin on the new law.
"They won't be looking for violations," she said. "The first goal is to get compliance."
When officers respond to a complaint, Llewellyn said, they will ask the person to stop smoking. If the person refuses, a citation would be the next step.
County parks will soon be adorned with new signs alerting visitors to the law, said Gary J. Arthur, director of the county Department of Recreation and Parks, though in some areas - such as walking paths - smoking still will be legal.
Glenn Schneider, legislative director for the Howard County Smoke-Free Coalition, said his group is running newspaper ads to alert the public and will send letters to restaurant and bar owners who still permit smoking urging them to change now.
"Quite honestly, it makes sense to do it now," he said. "Why wait?"
The coalition will advertise any place that prohibits smoking early, he said.
Maryland Restaurant Association Vice President Melvin Thompson said restaurants that have few smoking customers might do that, but restaurants or bars that depend on smokers will not.
"They would likely wait until they're forced," he said.
Signs are up at some Columbia office buildings, warning smokers to stay at least 15 feet away from the entrance, but few smokers appeared upset about the new regulations this week.
"I've always been very considerate of people who don't smoke. I try to be courteous," said Patty Coffman, 46, of North Laurel, who sat on a bench smoking in the breezy shade Wednesday in front of the Parkside Building near The Mall in Columbia.
Coffman said that not having any place to light up at Merriweather is upsetting.
