Hawaii Bans Smoking Statewide

The state of Hawaii has passed a statewide smoking ban that disallows smoking in almost all public places, including restaurants, taxicabs, shopping malls, airports, bars, nightclubs, and other businesses. The law also establishes a smoke free zone for 20 feet around public entrances, exits, windows, and ventilation systems. The law will allow smoking in hotel rooms designated as smoking rooms, but only twenty percent of the rooms at any hotel may be so designated. Hawaii's new smoking ban will become effective on November 16, 2006, the date of the American Cancer Society's Great American Smokeout.