Smoking ban fever

Publication Date: 2005-03-31

• Author:--
• Publication:Greenville (SC) News

State Rep. Todd Rutherford, D-Richland, has introduced a bill guaranteed to win the hearts of many nonsmokers who are tired of having their restaurant meals spoiled by cigarette smoke. Rutherford, along with four Democratic and four Republican co-sponsors, has introduced legislation that would ban smoking in restaurants in our state. Bars, however they would be defined, would be excluded from the legislation.

Many nonsmokers certainly share Rutherford's irritation at having smoke ruin a meal as well as linger in his clothes. But the reality is that market forces are leading many restaurants to make the needed changes, in the form of expanded nonsmoking areas if not in their own outright ban of smoking.