With North Carolina’s ‘indoor’ smoking ban – preventing smoking in bars and restaurants – coming into effect Saturday onwards, patrons and businesses are gearing of the big change that has, since long, been considered impossible in the leading tobacco producing state in the US.

With the ban soon in place, it will become mandatory for bars and restaurants to post ‘No-smoking’ signs; eliminate indoor ashtrays; and ask smokers to put out their smoking materials. However, private clubs as well as cigar bars are exempt from the ban; and hotels and motels can allow smoking in up to 20 percent of their rooms.

In terms of penalty for violating the ban order to be enforced by local health departments, smokers can be issued $50 tickets by the police; and businesses allowing indoor smoking on multiple occasions can be imposed a $200 fine. With the patrons of the ban saying that that the measure will help people avoid the adverse health effects of second-hand smoke, some of the smokers are also reportedly taking the smoking ban in their stride, calling it is a noteworthy measure.

However, restaurateurs have given a ‘mixed response’ to the ban. Some businesses say that a smoke-free milieu for customers and employees is a change for the better; while others argue that the decision to allow or disallow smoking in private businesses should not be dictated by the government.