FRANKFORT - Kentucky could become smoke-free in public places, Stateline.gov reports. Gov. Steve Beshear is pushing for a ban on smoking in specific public places as part of his plan to improve the overall health of state residents.

"Our addiction hurts productivity, jacks up health-care costs and kills our people," said Beshear in this week??s state-of-the-state address. "Yet we've never instituted a statewide law to protect Kentuckians from second-hand smoke??It's time for us to begin looking seriously at doing this."

At around 29%, Kentucky currently has the highest smoking rate in the country according to Gallup and Healthways polls. So far, 30 states, along with hundreds of localities, have banned smoking in bars and restaurants.

The governor??s proposal is likely to face stiff opposition in the legislature, given that similar bills have not been approved. "I don??t think it??s the government??s place to sit there and tell people you can??t do this," state Senate President Robert Stivers. "Next thing we??ll be telling them when to eat Twinkies and Ho Hos."

"This isn't a rights issue," the governor said in his address. "People could still smoke. Just not in places where their smoke endangers the health of our workers and others."

Also before Kentucky lawmakers is a bill to raise tobacco taxes by hiking the cigarette tax by $1.00 per pack. Right now, Kentucky taxes cigarettes at 60 cents per pack.