On Dec. 10, House Bill 4377 prohibiting smoking in all work establishments with the exception of casino gaming floors, cigar bars and tobacco specialty shops passed in the state legislature after months of debate since the bill was first introduced by House Democrats in February. The statewide measure, similar to other legislation adopted in 37 other states, has sparked debate among area bar and restaurant owners about whether the smoking ban wi ... Jump to full article >>

Prohibiting smoking in a North Carolina restaurant used to be one of the hardest decisions an owner could make. But that’s no longer the case after the state took the choice out of business owners’ hands when legislators decided last spring to stop allowing smoking in restaurants and bars. The ban will go into effect Saturday. Owners of restaurants that have already banned smoking say that owners of places that had still been letting ... Jump to full article >>