New law could further limit smoking opportunities in Oklahoma restaurants

Publication Date: 2010-05-17

• Author:Sonya Colberg
• Publication:NewsOK.com

Restaurants that close smoking rooms would get rebate under new law

Restaurants with smoking rooms will get a rebate if they close the rooms and go smoke-free, under a bill recently signed into law by Gov. Brad Henry. About 120 Oklahoma restaurants have smoking rooms with separate ventilation systems and would qualify for a rebate of up to 50 percent of the cost of a smoking room, minus depreciation...

How many restaurants will close their smoking rooms is hazy but some probably will, said Jim Hopper, Oklahoma Restaurant Association president.

Concerns about second-hand smoke and heart disease, cancer, strokes, high blood pressure and other health factors prompted the latest smoke-free measure, said Rep. Kris Steele, author of the new rebate law.

Second-hand smoke is estimated to cause 700 non-smokers' deaths yearly in Oklahoma, said Breathe Easy OK.