Chautauqua County is now moving forward toward passing significant new restrictions on smoking.

County Executive Greg Edwards is planning to ban outdoor tobacco use on all county owned or leased properties, even parks. Smoking is already banned indoors.

Edwards says the ban will improve the health of both employees and people doing business with the county. Opponents say the ban goes too far. But Edwards says he won't back down.

He said, "So we are committed to this. We are going to make this happen. We're moving towrd the national smokeout day in November of this year, when all county property becomes smoke free."

As part of the policy change, the county will offer help to employees wanting to stop smoking.