Jump to full article: Pacific Business News - Honolulu, 2008-11-07
Author: Linda Chiem Pacific Business News
Intro: Two years after it took effect, Hawaii's anti-smoking law is going unenforced.
While most business owners, employers and smokers voluntarily comply with the law, which banned smoking in nearly every workplace, business and building, the state is still writing the administrative rules that would give the state Department of Health the authority to cite and fine offenders.
To date, only one Honolulu woman has been cited by police for smoking in a bar and was fined $25.
A small contingent of bar and lounge owners have remained defiant by continuing to allow smoking, establishing safe havens where smokers can light up in peace.
Smokers' advocates say there are about 100 Hawaii bars continue to allow smoking to some degree within their establishments while at least a dozen bars defy the law outright.
"I am complying with the law if we post signs and we inform our customers of what the law is, which is exactly what we do," said Bill Comerford, co-owner of E&J Lounge Operating Co., which runs O'Toole's Irish Pub, Kelley O'Neil's and the Irish Rose Saloon in Honolulu. "If they smoke in our bars, they made that choice and it's not for me as a business owner to cite them."
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