Bismarck, ND Goes Smoke Free

Ok, so you know how we said last week that it is getting embarrassing that all these places are going smoke free leaving us behind with a law that still allows smoking in bars, bowling alleys and private clubs? Well guess what.. Another city goes smoke free before us and this time it's Bismarck, ND! On Tuesday the City Commissioners voted to strengthen their current ordinance to prohibit smoking in bars along with all other businesses. Five years ago Bismarck passed its initial ordinance which required all businesses and restaurants to be smoke free but not bars. Indianapolis also passed its current ordinance five years ago in 2005. Bismarck is also the capital city of North Dakota, just like we're the capital city. With all these similarities it is hard to imagine why we also cannot go smoke free.

So we are now not only the last major city to allow smoking in bars that is not preempted but we are also being left behind by more progressive cities like Bismarck.