The smokers and vapers puffing away near the entrance to the county government center must now take a walk downhill.

The county commissioners voted at their Wednesday meeting to approve a tobacco use policy that replaces the one instituted in 2008.

The new policy states that all county workers and anyone visiting the government center must now smoke or use their e-cigarettes in a covered area on the north side of the building near the tier parking garage.

The small pavilion’s picnic table and “smoker’s shed” is in the parking lot on that side of the building.

County solicitor Julie Graham said the county government building did not have a designated smoking area before in the old policy.

She said smoking will no longer be permitted near the front entrance, where many visitors smoked, or in a covered area to the north of the front entrance, where many employees smoked.

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