Hearing Scheduled to Settle Smoking Ban Debate

By Casey Northcutt

Hopkins County – Hopkins County businesses might be smoke free after a hearing today in Judge James Brantley's circuit court. Health department tobacco prevention and cessation specialist Lisa Miller says the Board of Health enacted a smoking ban on August 12, but two businessmen, Thomas Richardson and James Haulk, filed an injunction against the measure. They felt the decision should be made by a body of elected officials, such as a fiscal court, and not by the Board of Health. Miller says Judge Brantley will hear the case for the first time today at 2 p.m., and several local businesses are waiting to hear his decision before following rules outlined in the ban.