Nassau County Legis. David Mejias has introduced a bill that would ban smoking within 50 feet of county government buildings.

A committee hearing on the bill, already signed into law in Suffolk County, is set for next week.

The ban would benefit the health of visitors and staffers tremendously, Mejias said.

"So anybody that comes into the building, to the entrance, is not going to have to go through a cloud of smoke and, as we say, run the cancer gauntlet."

Jerry Laricchiuta, of the CSEA union, disagrees with the proposal and believes designated areas should be available for smokers.

"I think it's time for Big Brother to take a step back," Laricchiuta said. "Most county buildings have four sides. One side is for smokers and the other three are for non-smokers."

The North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System, which would not be affected by Mejias' bill, plans on banning smoking on its property next year, according to Kevin McGeachy, deputy executive director of North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset. Currently, North Shore-LIJ has designated smoking areas.

"We have an obligation to the community to promote healthy behaviors," McGeachy said.

Related Information: Quit Smoking American Cancer Society Stop Smoking Services