Indiana Pushing Anti-Smoking Bill in Time for Super Bowl

Indiana lawmakers are fervently trying to fast-track their anti-smoking agenda through the statehouse in time for it to be in place for the Super Bowl XLVI, which will be held in Indianapolis on February 5. Although Indianapolis’ City-County Council failed to pass a city-wide smoking ban back in December, state lawmakers are reloading in hopes of introducing a new bill that can get out of committee, have any necessary amendments in place, and be read and passed by the deadline of  January 31, after which it would go through normal processes before it could be signed by Governor Mitch Daniels.

The new ordinance, which is reportedly set to be introduced on January 9, could be voted on by the end of the month, but according to a spokesperson from Smoke Free Indy (a coalition of state and local public health organizations, community-based organizations, physicians, businesses, and schools), getting a bill passed in time to impact the Super Bowl isn’t as important as getting the right bill passed.

Lucas Oil Stadium (formerly the RCA dome), the site of this year’s Super Bowl, is already a smoke-free stadium, however smoking is permitted at four gates around the stadium’s exterior. How the new bill would affect smoking at these gates is unclear, but local businesses would definitely be affected if any ban were put in place prior to the Super Bowl. While retail tobacco shops would likely remain exempt, and cigar and hookah bars would likely to still be grandfathered, bars and restaurants (particularly those around the stadium) would likely face severe economic losses if any such ban were enacted prior to the game.