By Dave Thompson
Bismarck, ND – The chairman of the interim committee that worked on the smoking issue says she thinks anti-tobacco groups will have a tough time getting both a complete ban on workplace smoking and a 70-cent-per-pack increase in the tobacco tax.
Rep. Lois Delmore (D-Grand Forks) says the interim committee worked hard to come up with a proposal to limit indoor smoking. She says the more stringent you get, the harder it will be to pass. She says the committee's bill allows local governments to adopt stricter measures.
"Sometimes people think local control by us is a cop-out," said Delmore. "But I think communities have shown that they can pass laws within their community that fit them. One size may not fit all."
The anti-smoking groups say their legislative package is designed to protect the health of workers -- and to make cigarettes expensive enough to discourage youth from picking up the habit.