North Carolina - Statewide Partial Smoking Ban

Statewide partial smoking ban: On January 2, 2010, after being signed into law by Governor Bev Perdue on May 19, 2009, North Carolina Session Law 2009-27 is scheduled to go into effect, banning smoking statewide in all bars and restaurants in North Carolina, as well as in government buildings and vehicles.

The Law exempts cigar bars, private clubs (including country clubs), designated hotel/motel smoking areas, and medical research facilities studying tobacco. The Law generally allows local governments to regulate smoking more strictly beginning July 5, 2009 (as long as it is approved by the county, too), but preempts local governments from regulating smoking in cigar bars, retail tobacco shops, tobacco manufacturer facilities, designated hotel/motel smoking rooms, private clubs (including country clubs), theatrical productions involving smoking, private residences, or private vehicles.

Until then, North Carolina's 1993 statewide smoking law remains in effect, allowing any place owned by the state government or a local government to be designated as a nonsmoking area, though no place is required to be entirely nonsmoking. Local governments are preempted from regulating smoking, except in buildings owned/leased/occupied by local government, public meetings, the indoor space in an auditorium/arena/coliseum, libraries or museums open to the public, and any place on a public transportation vehicle owned or leased by local government and used by the public.

Other statewide smoking regulation in North Carolina:

North Carolina Department of Correction, January 2006, banned in all state prisons.

UNC Hospitals, August 2007, banned on all hospital grounds.

The University of North Carolina system, January 2008, banned on all university grounds except 100 feet from any school building.