BANNED: Supporters mostly pleased with bill, but opponents say it violates rights

RALEIGH (Winston-Salem Journal) - Smoking will be outlawed in every restaurant and bar in North Carolina starting early next year.

After months of vigorous debate, the N.C. General Assembly gave final approval yesterday to a bill that marks a historic break with the state's long and lucrative tobacco legacy. It makes North Carolina the first major tobacco-producing state to pass such a restrictive ban on smoking.

The bill is not as comprehensive as its sponsors had hoped. For instance, it does not ban smoking in such indoor workplaces as offices or factories.