Here's their criteria for this decision:
For purposes of meeting planning, NCI considers a jurisdiction (state, city, town, or county) smokefree if it provides employees and the general public complete or near complete protection from ETS in enclosed workplaces, including restaurants. Inclusion of bars is not required at this time. Additionally, the list includes states with laws that allow minor exemptions to a smokefree workplace, such as: employers with five or fewer employees may allow smoking if all employees consent; private workplaces that are open to the public by appointment only are exempt; and others.
My reaction? Good. Keep these nanny-state busy bodies out of our state.
North Dakota has, unfortunately, already passed many public smoking bans on both the local and state levels. We don't need any more. The infringement upon private property rights has gone far enough. Private business owners should be able to decide for themselves whether or not they will allow smoking on their property. She shouldn't have that decision forced upon them by a bunch of nosey, pushy, overbearing do-gooders intent on pushing their opinions and choices on everyone else.
Personally, I hate smoking. I don't do it and I don't like being around others who do...but I'm not one to push my choices on other people. If a restaurant is too smokey for my tastes, I eat elsewhere. If I were a waiter and was bothered by smokey atmospheres I'd find a job elsewhere.
That's how things are supposed to work in free socieities. You make your choices and I make mine. Unfortunately, we've gotten pretty far away from those sort of principles all in the name of "public health."
It's pathetic.