- Local Health Department in Charge of Implementation
and Compliance
Durham, N.C. – At midnight on Saturday,
January 2, 2010, all restaurants, bars and other businesses that serve food and
drink in Durham County will become smoke-free, to the delight of health
advocates and the many local residents who are looking forward to healthier
nights out. This will happen as a
result of a new law that prohibits smoking in all restaurants and bars across
North
Carolina.
“The new
smoke-free law will help protect workers and customers from the known health
hazards of secondhand smoke, and may encourage many folks to patronize these
establishments more frequently, now that restaurants and bars are smoke-free,”
said Gayle Harris, Durham County Health Director.
The law covers
all restaurants and bars and the common areas of lodging facilities that serve
food. Many other places that serve food or beverages, such as convenience stores
and recreational facilities, will also be smoke-free by law.
Many
communities around the state are celebrating the new law, which was passed by
the General Assembly and signed into law by the governor in May. Members of
Teens Against Consuming Tobacco (TACT) will staff educational tables at the
Northern High School basketball game on Friday, December 18, and at the
Northgate Mall on Saturday, December 19.
At both events, TACT members will have handouts and educational games
about the new law as well as information about smoking cessation programs and
the dangers of tobacco consumption. TACT is part of the Tobacco Reality
Unfiltered (TRU) Movement, which is North Carolina’s statewide youth tobacco
prevention initiative. TACT youth also collaborated with TRU clubs in
surrounding counties to write a thank you note to Governor Bev Purdue for her
leadership in passing this new law.
In addition,
on January 2, 2010 representatives from the Durham County Health Department will
celebrate the new law by eating lunch at Tyler’s Restaurant and Taproom in the
American Tobacco Historic District from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m.
For
more information about the law or to report a violation, visit www.smokefree.nc.gov,
call the CARE-LINE at 1-800-662-7030 or call the Durham County Health Department
at 919-560-7600.
