NDN Editorial So far, so good for state smoking ban

Seven weeks into Iowa’s smoking ban, bars and restaurants across the state are healthier environments for employees and customers alike. Secondhand smoke exposure has decreased, and bars and restaurants in general are more appealing places for the average patron. No longer do people walk out of smoky locales needing a change of clothes, a shower and a tank of oxygen. In the longterm, the ban may even convince some smokers to give up cigarettes rather than continually going outside to indulge their habit while in public. If that happens, it stands to reason that Iowans would suffer less from emphysema, lung cancer and other smoking-related ailments. These are all good things. Earlier this year when the topic was first discussed, the smoki