Tuesday, July 01 2008
This AP story in the Chicago Tribune (www.chicagotribune.com) by Amy Lorentzen reports on the reaction to Iowa's newly enacted smoking ban by bar and restaurant owners and thier patrons.
"It's been about 50-50. There have been a lot of people complaining, but there are a lot of people excited about it," said Hutchins, who has worked at the Royal Mile for about five years. "I had a lot of friends who wouldn't come here because it was too smoky."
Across the state, business owners and customers were having similar discussions as the ban approved by lawmakers and signed by Gov. Chet Culver goes into effect at most workplaces, restaurants and bars. The law exempts casinos, fairgrounds and veterans organizations.
Many bar and restaurant owners have complained that it wasn't fair to have different rules for different sites, and some have raised money to fund a lawsuit that seeks to strip the law of the exemptions.
Smoking ban gets mixed reviews on first day
