Our Opinion: This ban on smoking is going to hurt some businesses and will take away rights from business owners.
The N.C. House passed a bill banning smoking in public places and places of employment, excluding private establishments, nonprofit organizations and places that do not allow minors.
The bill also includes banning smoking from state and government buildings, which is reasonable because the state should be able to make rules for their own property.
The bill states smoking is banned in public places and places of employment, which includes restaurants, that only allow people aged 18 years or older.
Business owners should be able to make their own decisions about who their clientele is.
According to the American Heart Association, coronary heart disease caused one out of every five deaths in the United States in 2005. Because unhealthy eating accelerates heart disease, does this mean restaurants should not be able serve butter and fried food, too? They should have the right to choose if they want to or not.
The legislature is making frivolous laws that have no standing, and its decision could possibly hurt North Carolina restaurant owners who allow their customers to smoke in their establishments.
Besides hurting business, the law is taking away rights from restaurant owners. They should not only be limited to either having a smoke-free restaurant or one that only allows adults in and should be able to continue to make their own decisions on whether smoking is allowed.
Look at the ban from a local perspective — businesses on Hillsborough Street are suffering because of the recession. If the smoking ban took place, it would hurt businesses that are family friendly that also allow smoking now. People who want to smoke will go to bars and restaurants that allow smoking, which would be exclusive to places that only allow people aged 18 and older. Also, the Hillsborough Street renovations are likely to hurt businesses, too, so this would be adding salt to the wound.
The intention of the bill is to protect the health of the people of North Carolina, but there are better ways to protect people’s health than infringing on the rights of restaurant owners.
Contact your state senators and give them your opinions on House Bill 2.