Most Kentuckians now favor statewide smoking ban, poll finds
Graph shows results by smoking history, party |
Just over half of Kentuckians support a statewide law that would ban smoking in most public places, including restaurants and bars, the Kentucky Health Issues Poll has found.
Just under 53 percent said they were in favor of such a law, and another 1 percent said they lean toward favoring it. Only 40.5 percent opposed the idea, with 2 percent leaning against it. Four percent had no opinion.
Including leaners, the law was favored by 53.7 percent to 42.5 percent, a double-digit margin. Last year, Kentuckians were split down the middle, 48 percent to 48 percent. The poll’s error margin is plus or minus 2.44 percentage points, meaning that each figure could vary that much from actual public opinion in 19 of 20 cases. It could vary more in one out of 20.
Despite those strong views, there was again no split along party lines; 55 percent of Democrats and 55 percent of Republicans were supportive of a ban and independents were slightly less so. As was the case last year, respondents who are registered to vote were more likely to support a smoke-free law, with six in 10 in favor.
Interestingly, respondents living in Appalachian Kentucky — which historically has very high smoking rates — also expressed strong support, with 53.4 percent in favor, plus or minus 4.96 percentage points. (The poll groups counties by area development districts; Appalachian Kentucky was defined as counties in ADDs that are mainly Appalachian, in green on the map.)