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Home > What's New > Cigar Bars Not Exempt From NH Ban
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Cigar Bars Not Exempt From NH Ban
Posted: Monday, April 28, 2008
By Gregory Mottola
The hopes of New Hampshire’s cigar smokers were dashed by the state Senate on Thursday when it blocked a bill that would have granted cigar bars an exemption from the state’s smoking ban. Although the bill was approved by the House in March, 14 of the 24 senators voted to block House Bill 1457, which would have allowed smoking at any establishment that derived more than 60 percent of its income from the sale of cigars.
As stated in the bill, a cigar bar is defined as “an establishment that occupies exclusively an enclosed indoor space that is engaged in the retail sale of cigar products for consumption on the premises, or other legally acceptable places, and derives revenue from the sale of food, alcohol and other beverages for consumption on the premises.”
The bill was introduced in February by Dem. Rep. Edward Butler and included a provision that would require any cigar bar employee “to sign a form which clearly states the potential dangers of inhaling second-hand smoke and that the employee chooses to work in such a cigar bar.”
But according to a story released by nashuatelegraph.com, Sen. David Gottesman, who wrote the law banning smoking that took effect in 2007, opposed the employee waiver requirement, calling it "disingenuous."
Cigar Insider contacted Butler on the matter, but he had no official comment. The bill has been tabled and is expected to die.
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