Smoking Allowed In Many Restaurants, Bars in Georgia

Publication Date: 2015-06-22

• Publication:University Herald

The number of restaurants and bars that allow smoking has doubles in recent years, according to a recent study. Researchers at Georgia State University found that despite the passage of Georgia's Smokefree Air Act in 2005, which placed smoking restrictions on bars and restaurants, owners of these establishments have taken advantage of exemptions in the laws to create smoking zones.

Researchers at Georgia State University found that despite the passage of Georgia's Smokefree Air Act in 2005, which placed smoking restrictions on bars and restaurants, owners of these establishments have taken advantage of exemptions in the laws to create smoking zones...

Georgia's Smokefree Air Act includes several exemptions that allow restaurants and bars to avoid a complete ban on smoking. Owners can allow smoking if they don't allow entry to people who are younger than 18 years old, or if designated smoking areas are outside or in rooms with separate ventilation systems.

According to the study, the percentage of restaurants and bars in Georgia that allowed smoking nearly doubled, from 9.1 percent in 2006 to 17.6 percent in 2012...