Smoking
From a story in today's paper:
RALEIGH — A trio of anti-smoking bills making their way through the legislature would ban smoking in state vehicles, keep smokers 25 feet from state government buildings and reinforce community colleges' authority to restrict smoking on campuses.Should they pass as expected, the new laws would be the latest in a series that chip away at where smoking is allowed, particularly in and around government buildings.
Advocates and observers say these smaller prohibitions could be the foundation for broader anti-smoking measures in years to come.
In particular, advocates say, a ban on smoking in all workplaces — not just those owned by state or local governments — may be within reach after falling six votes shy of passing the House in 2007.
"That's the big one. It's coming back in January," said Rep. Hugh Holliman, a Lexington Democrat who has pushed broad smoking-related restrictions after his own experiences with smoking-related cancer.