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A tough New Hampshire law that bans smoking in many workplaces will go into effect on Monday, September 17. In June, Governor Lynch signed a bi-partisan bill to ban smoking in the state’s restaurants and bars. The popular bill was supported by service workers across the state.

“The science is clear - second-hand smoke poses a dangerous health risk. And that is why this new law is so important,” Governor John Lynch said. “Smoking is banned in almost every other workplace in New Hampshire. We should not continue to subject our hard-working citizens in the restaurant industry to the harmful dangers of second-hand smoke.”

According to at least one survey, the majority of New Hampshire citizens are in favor of the bill, although some in the hospitality industry voiced concerns that it would hurt business. They fear that if patrons can’t smoke in restaurants and bars, they will choose to stay home.

“Those who wait tables or tend bar in our restaurants must work to make ends meet - to pay the rent, to provide for their children. Without this law, many of them would have no choice but to inhale dangerous second-hand smoke, putting their health in jeopardy,” Gov. Lynch said. “Today, we are making a statement. We are telling these hard-working men and woman that we care about them. We care and are committed to providing a safe, healthy work environment.”

Some smokers resent what they see as a severe curtailment of their right to smoke. Many restaurants and bars have already banned smoking. Supporters of the bill point out that in many cases, restaurants have actually seen an increase in business after introducing the non-smoking policy.

Senate Bill 42 was sponsored by Senators David Gottesman, Lou D’Allesandro, Harold Janeway, Martha Fuller Clark, Bob Odell, Molly Kelly, Betsi DeVries, Sylvia Larsen, and Iris Estabrook. On the House side, it was sponsored by Representatives Larry Emerton, Cynthia Dokmo, Cindy Rosenwald, and William Chase.

New Hampshire is just the latest state to implement a smoking ban in restaurants and bars. A total of 15 states, plus Puerto Rico, allow no smoking in any restaurant or bar. These states include Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.

Illinois recently introduced a stiff smoking ban of its own, although the law does allow smoking in private offices where all the occupants smoke, even if the public or non-smokers must occasionally enter the office.

Sixteen states have laws that require all workplaces to be smoke-free. These are Arizona, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah and Washington.

One state that has traditionally been a bastion of smoker’s rights is North Carolina. In that state, a worker can smoke anywhere except in the municipality of Montreat, at least for now.

A number of states have recently enacted workplace smoking bans. Illinois joined the fray in July, with the passage of a smoking ban that goes into effect on January 1, 2008. A similar ban that prohibits smoking in most workplaces in Maryland will go into effect on February 1, 2008.

In the past, many states prohibited smoking in public areas, but permitted it in restaurants and bars. These laws are slowly being changed, with a number of states adding restaurants, bars and even casinos to the “non-smoking” list. Minnesota already has significant bans on smoking in public areas. Effective October 1, 2007, a new law that bans smoking in restaurants and bars in Minnesota will go into effect. Montana has passed a similar law, which is slated to go into effect on October 1, 2009.

Oregon’s 100% smoke-free workplace law will become effective on January 1, 2009. That’s the same day that a Utah law banning smoking in bars will go into effect.

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