Restaurants, bars mostly complying with smoking ban

Raleigh, N.C. — Local health departments in central North Carolina say they have received few complaints about violations of a smoking ban for restaurants, bars and other workplaces that took effect last Saturday.

Cumberland County received 12 complaints, Durham County had one complaint, and Orange and Johnston counties had none. Wake County hasn't received many complaints, health department spokesman Will Glenn said.

"The small number of complaints in the first report confirms our predictions that Cumberland County businesses are, for the most part, fully complying with the law," Cumberland County Health Director Buck Wilson said in a statement.

He said that three complaints involved a lack of no-smoking signs, and nine involved businesses allowing smoking to continue.

The ban relies on the public to report violations to their local health department, online at SmokeFree.NC.gov Web site or by calling the N.C. CARE-LINE toll-free at 800-662-7030.

The law gives exemptions to nonprofit private clubs that serve food or drink such as country clubs and those run by fraternal organizations, such as Kiwanis and the Elks. Hotels and inns can set aside 20 percent of their rooms for smokers.

Cumberland and Durham issued warning letters to businesses that received complaints, as well as informational material about the law.

"Some establishments are confused about the definition of a private club. They don't realize the new law applies to them," Wilson said. "We have education materials to share and even no-smoking signs and coasters."

The law stipulates that after receiving two warning letters, businesses violating the no-smoking law can be fined up to $200 per day. Individuals can be fined $50 per violation.

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Latest Comments

The inconvenience of only smoking outside or in your car or house or anywhere beside an enclosed facility where there is shared air is very small compared to nonsmokers inhaling the smoke from another.

your screen name
January 11, 2010 11:55 a.m.

Gee Truthbeknown, if your that sensitive to everyday objects or what may be floating in the air, you should either seek serious medical help or just stay home where you can control every breath you take. Im allergic to a few things too, i work around it without making others around me suffer for it.

shortcake53
January 8, 2010 7:56 p.m.

TruthBKnown Returns said: "I'm not forced to engage in any of these activities, even when you do them right next to me. But light up a cigarette next to me and I'm suddenly a smoker."

Babble as much as you do next to me and suddenly I'm annoyed.

jockeyshiftspringer
January 8, 2010 7:33 p.m.

"Drunk drivers kill more people per year than what 20 years of second-hand smoke would kill. Talk about double-standards..............."

They won't ban drinking, the state makes too much money off of taxes on beer and alcohol.

It's a case of follow the money.

DontLikeTheSocialistObama
January 8, 2010 7:31 p.m.

"Drunk drivers kill more people per year than what 20 years of second-hand smoke would kill. Talk about double-standards...............

No comments yet on this part of my post? Why not?"

Probably because it's off topic. This is about smoking. Drinking and driving is bad. Illegal possession of firearms is bad. Kidnapping and rape are bad. They're all illegal activities.

There is no double-standard. Drinking and driving (like smoking in restaurants) is illegal. If you're so concerned about drinking and driving, there are things we could do to fix that, too. Like mandatory jail time, even for first offenders. I'd support that.

But what does this have to do with smoking again?