By John Fuquay
RALEIGH — Lighting up in public places could become a thing of the
past, and the current legislative session could become the harshest yet
on cigarette smoking.
In
the state that leads the nation in tobacco production, two bills have
been filed that would let cities ban smoking, and a bill for a
statewide ban is expected to follow.
Currently,
cities can’t enact their own laws more restrictive than state law,
which bans smoking in hospitals, nursing homes, health departments, day
cares, schools and large indoor arenas. The law allows state employers
to designate some areas as nonsmoking, but not ban it altogether.
Last year, lawmakers gave community colleges the authority to choose their own smoking policy, including a ban.
But cities cannot regulate smoking in bars, restaurants, bowling alleys and most other public places.
Two Cumberland County lawmakers are behind the latest effort to snuff smoking.
Democratic
Rep. Rick Glazier has long advocated smoke-free environments and was
the co-sponsor of the community college law. He now has co-sponsored
the House bill that would let cities regulate smoking.
Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand introduced a similar bill in the Senate this week.
“It
allows cities to set their own rules,” said Rand, a Democrat. “I think
this is something that towns ought to control. One size does not fit
all.”
Roger
Bone, a Greensboro-based tobacco lobbyist, disagrees, although he said
he has not been instructed to try to have the newest bills defeated.
“The
real problem with those bills are the lack of uniformity,” Bone said.
“How would a person that smokes know what to do in Greensboro or
Fayetteville or Raleigh if they all have different rules?”
Rob
Thompson of the N.C. Public Research Interest Group said secondhand
smoke is a proven killer that costs billions of dollars in annual
health-care costs and lost work productivity.
“There
haven’t been any attempts in recent years to allow cities and counties
to regulate secondhand smoke. I think it’s critical to the health of
all North Carolinians, especially people who work in bars and
restaurants who are exposed to it all the time,” Thompson said.
He said he does not believe nonuniform laws across the state would be a burden to smokers.
“I think people are smart enough to know how to read a no-smoking sign on the door,” he said.
The
N.C. Restaurant Association opposes smoking bans, saying businesses
should have the flexibility to address smoke exposure based on the
desires of their customers.
Not
only has smoking become more difficult in North Carolina — which boasts
tobacco as the No. 1 crop with about $600 million in annual farm income
— but it also has become more expensive.
Two
years ago, lawmakers raised the cigarette tax, which had been the
lowest in the nation. The 35-cent per pack tax pushed North Carolina
from 50th to 43rd.
Panel recommendation
Glazier
said a House bill will be introduced seeking a statewide ban based on
the recommendation of a House committee on health care.
“I would fully support that,” he said.
Before
1993, cities had the authority to make their own rules about smoking in
public places. If a statewide ban is not supported, Glazier said he
would support going back to local control.
“That’s
the way it used to be under the previous law. I think we should let
cities control this issue the way they want,” he said.
Across
the country, most smoke-free workplaces are designated under local
laws. The American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation estimates 29.8 percent
of the population is protected by 100 percent smoking bans at work. The
California-based advocacy group reports that 11 states ban all
workplace smoking and almost 1,000 cities have no-smoking ordinances.
The
U.S. Surgeon General’s Office issued a report last year saying evidence
was indisputable that secondhand smoke is a health hazard that kills an
estimated 50,000 people annually and that no level of the toxic fumes
are safe.
Secondhand smokes contributes to heart disease, cancer and several adverse health conditions in children, including asthma.
