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New law promises to help the state 'kick the habit' in public places
Jump to full article: Macon County News & Shopping Guide (Franklin, NC), 2009-12-23
Author: Davin Eldridge Contributing Writer
Intro: New state laws taking effect in the beginning of January will make cigarettes more fire safe, but will also prohibit smoking in public places or places of employment. On Aug. 24, 2007 the NC general assembly signed the Fire Safety Standard and Firefighter Protection Act into law. This legislation would require cigarette manufacturers to produce and sell cigarettes which would go out after a few short moments if not drawn on. New York was the first state to pass such laws in 2004.
"I think safety is good for everybody," said local restaurant owner and smoker Lisa Thordarson. "It's just like the McDonalds coffee cups, they have to say 'caution: contents hot.' Everyone knows that McDonald's coffee is hot and that cigarettes can cause a fire, I mean that's logic," she said, commenting on the redundancy of the law.
Along with the new safety standard for cigarettes manufactured and sold throughout North Carolina, an imminent ban on public smoking in the state will also go into effect on Jan. 2, 2010. The statewide ban was signed into law by Gov. Bev Perdue on May 19 of last year. The law according to the bill will make smoking "prohibited in all enclosed areas of restaurants and bars."
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