Dartmouth medical students are among some of the advocates for the ban, and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center physician John Warrenburger testified before the Commerce Committee about the harmful effects of second-hand smoke.
New Hampshire is currently the only state in New England without a smoking ban for all restaurants, a circumstance that caused previous critics of the ban to reconsider their opposition.
One of the bill's sponsors, Representative Sheila T. Francoeur, a Republican from Hampton, had opposed previous attempts to pass similar legislation for economic reasons. Since both Massachusetts and Maine now have their own laws that ban smoking in restaurants, her concern that the smoking ban would cause tourists and other diners to opt for restaurants has become a moot point.
"This is no longer an economic issue; this is a health issue," Francoeur said.
Supporters of the new bill hope that it will protect the health of both restaurant patrons and workers who are constantly subjected to smoke-filled environments. They also say that even if the law hurt local restaurants, the loss in business would be defrayed by decreased medical costs associated with second-hand smoke inhalation.
Opponents, however, say that forcing restaurant and bar owners to outlaw smoking constitutes government overreaching and may have more than a minor affect on New Hampshire restaurants.
But the fact that The New Hampshire Lodging and Restaurant Association has yet to take a stance on the latest proposal, despite immediate opposition to prior proposals, might be an indicator that support for the ban is growing.
The bill, HB1177, is currently under debate in the House Commerce Committee, If it proceeds from the committee, it will be voted on by the House and then, if passed, it will be sent to the Senate.
