Posted on: Thursday, August 22, 2002

EDITORIAL
Mahalo to Maui for smoking ban

Let's have a big hand for the Valley Isle for joining what we hope will eventually be a statewide ban against smoking in restaurants.

O'ahu's restaurant smoking ban went into effect July 1 without too much ado. And it seems Maui County is next to take the plunge. Plus, it's taking the extra step of prohibiting smoking in restaurant bars when the law goes into effect Jan. 1. In Honolulu, the ban on smoking in restaurant bars doesn't take effect for another year.

Nearly 70 percent of Maui County restaurants surveyed about the prohibition supported a smoking ban.

We hope that's an indication that the majority of businesses aren't feeling pressured to enforce a law that they oppose. We can certainly understand that restaurants might be nervous about turning away customers who smoke, particularly tourists from countries where smoking is ubiquitous.

Now, how about Kaua'i and the Big Island?

This should be statewide.