Huckabee heralds in smoke-free law

Publication Date: 2006-07-22

• Author:Doug Thompson
• Publication:Arkansas News Bureau

The state's workplace smoking ban went into effect Friday, with Gov. Huckabee ushering in the law with a call for Arkansans to dine out.

"The best way to celebrate this would be to be able to report a dramatic increase in restaurant profits," Huckabee said of the law, which bans smoking in workplaces, including restaurants.

The law, adopted in an April special session, makes limited exceptions for establishments that admits only patrons 21 or older and for small businesses. Any other place of business "that has a ceiling, a floors, and walls" should be smoke free, said Dr. Joe Thompson, the state's chief health officer.