Smoking Ban Map

[burnthebeautiful]

I want to make a smoking ban map of the United States (possibly add other countries at a later date). The idea was inspired by this helmet law map.

Basically I want to do a map of the United States, with the states having different colours. Green for no statewide ban and red for a statewide ban. Possibly a third colour for "municipalities within this state have a ban". Then you can click on a state and a county map of the state comes up, no ban countys green, ban counties red, possibly again a third colour for towns within this county have a ban. I'm not really sure how I should do city/town bans.

I know virtually nothing about webdesign. I only know the basic tags like br, bold, and img src=. So if anyone wants to help me I'd appreciate it. Once I get the thing running I'll need to start collecting information about where they actually have smoking bans, for the website to be worth a damn.
So anyway if anyone is interested in helping me I'd appreciate it, otherwise I'll go ahead with my crude version with no webdesign skills It doesn't really have to be pretty, I suppose.

[aries]

That'd be quite the research task... you should make sure to ask for input from residents of those states

[burnthebeautiful]

Well the statewide map is easy, I've already finished it. Making the local maps will be the big task.

Here's a map for states that have passed bans, according to 2-3 various google pages. I don't know if I should make a fourth colour for "passed a ban, not yet enacted". I decided to make Montana, Utah and Hawaii red although their respective bans haven't come into effect yet.

By the way if this has already been done at the scale I'm doing at I'd love to know so I don't waste my time, but it doesn't seem like any sites have done a comprehensive map at the scale I'm doing it. For the time being, I've decided to only do a map for restaurant and bar regulations, doing "public space" bans in general make it too big of a task.

Here's a first draft of the country map (I'm going to make the letters more eligable on the red states):

[Fluff and Stuff]

Great work!  You need to make AR red, http://www.arkansasnews.com/archive/2006/04/08/News/335457.html

[burnthebeautiful]

Great work!  You need to make AR red, http://www.arkansasnews.com/archive/2006/04/08/News/335457.html

Apparantly the the AR ban exempts establishments with a 21+ age limit. I might need a new catagory/colour for that. The difficult thing about this map is just that - there are all sorts of different bans so I don't know how many different catagories I should make. I think there are 2 states where only 21+ places can allow smoking, and in SD only businesses with a liqour license can allow smoking. Maybe a "partial ban" colour will suffice, or maybe just a * type thing.

*update* Settled for "# Guidelines exist, click state for more information". Picture changed.

[KBCraig]

Great work!  You need to make AR red, http://www.arkansasnews.com/archive/2006/04/08/News/335457.html

Apparantly the the AR ban exempts establishments with a 21+ age limit. I might need a new catagory/colour for that.

The Arkansas ban is very strict. If anyone under the age of 21 can ever enter, at any time, then smoking is banned at all times. That means that clubs can't have "under 21" nights without alcohol or cigarettes. If a 21+ club allows smoking, then it's illegal for anyone under 21 to enter during off hours (like a cleaning contractor, or construction worker, or the owner's 20 year old kid).

Arkansas and Louisiana also ban smoking in cars when there are children who are required to be in child safety seats.

Kevin

[burnthebeautiful]

Decided to change the picture to add a partial ban catagory. Oklahoma requires restaurants that allow smoking to have a ventilation system installed, South Dakota only allows smoking in restaurants with a liqour license, and Arkansas only allows smoking in bars that no-one under 21 can enter, under any circumstances, ever.

I've discovered almost all local bans are city ones, not county ones, and I don't think a map works very well for city bans.

[KBCraig]

Thanks, burn. Good work.

I like seeing that patch of green in New England. 

[Fluff and Stuff]

The Arkansas ban is very strict.
Kevin

I agree.  From what I understand, it is more strict than most states.  Maybe I am wrong, though.  The article says, "The act prohibits smoking in most public places, including all workplaces with three or more employees. Establishments open only to people 21 and over are exempt." which means almost everything and way more than just bars and eating places.  Maybe make it dark red because they don't even let some people smoke in their homes or cars.

Also, this is very minor, but your lines going to DC and MD are slightly off.

[Rifkinn]

Next step is going down to the City/County level.  I know that some cities in Indiana do have some type of smoking bans...

[aries]

Thanks, burn. Good work.

I like seeing that patch of green in New England. 

In my search to link New Hampshire's indoor smoking ban I found this

http://www.nh.gov/judiciary/supreme/opinions/2003/coleb111.htm

Apparently our smoking act also preempts town ordinances banning smoking.
Though I did find this
http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2006/HB1558.html

here is part of state law
http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/NHTOC/NHTOC-XII-155.htm

[burnthebeautiful]

I found some sort of anti-smoking website that had a smoking ban map that was made with the same principle as mine, but I didn't like their set-up very much. I'm currently working on colouring in a county map of the united states. It gives me a headache to sit there staring at this big map and googling states for smoking bans so I'm not working on it very long at a time. I only have about 4 states left to colour in though.