• By Yalonda Miller
• Posted Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Let’s Celebrate Smoke Free Dining!

North Carolina’s new smoke-free restaurants and bars law will go into effect at midnight on January 2, 2010. This is an opportunity for every community in the state to celebrate smoke-free air! Forsyth County currently has over 300 restaurants that are smoke free so as the remaining restaurants take this huge step forward in public health, all restaurant workers and patrons will now be protected from the well-documented health threats of secondhand smoke.

In support of this new law, Forsyth County residents are encouraged to support local restaurants and bars by participating in “Tasty Tuesdays”. We encourage you to visit your favorite restaurant on the four Tuesdays in January (5, 12, 19, & 26) in order to show support to the local restaurants and bars. It doesn’t matter if it’s for breakfast, lunch, supper, desserts, snacks, or drinks; the message is that it’s great to go out now that North Carolina is serving smoke-free air!

The Healthy Community Coalition is developing a task force to provide information and educational materials to restaurants and bars owners to be sure that they are in compliance with the new law. Volunteers will be informed of the new smoke-free law and take on the responsibility of getting several materials such as coasters, table tents, and window stickers out to the businesses.

For more information about the new smoke-free law visit: www.smokefree.nc.gov or if you want to know more about celebration events in the county call Debbie Mason at 336-703-3260.