영어 뉴스 읽기] North Carolina Sets Curbs on Smoking

* curb : a check or restraint on something

North Carolina turns a new page at the start of 2010 in its long history as a tobacco-growing state as it implements a ban on smoking in bars and restaurants.

* implement : a tool, utensil, or other piece of equipment, esp. as used for a particular purpose

* implement : put (a decision, plan, agreement, etc.) into effect

"We are keenly aware of the history in our state, but now it's just that -- history," said Betsy Vetter, chair of the North Carolina Alliance for Health, an independent state coalition that, among other things, works to reduce tobacco use.

* keenly : keen = having or showing eagerness or enthusiasm

* coalition : an alliance for combined action, especially a temporary alliance of political parties forming a government or of states

The law exempts cigar bars and country clubs from the ban. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention doesn't include North Carolina on its list of 21 states plus the District of Columbia with 100% smoke-free laws -- meaning smoking is prohibited in all workplaces, restaurants and bars.

* exempt : free (a person or organization) from an obligation or liability imposed on others

Still, the law is a big step for the nation's largest tobacco-producing state, which has long derived a hefty portion of tax revenues from that industry. The state has 255,000 tobacco-related jobs, nearly 40% of the nation's total, according to the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

* derive : obtain something from (a specified source)

* hefty : large, heavy, and powerful

"For North Carolina we feel like it's a huge victory," said Amy Barkley, a regional director for the Washington-based Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, an advocacy organization.

* advocacy : public support for or recommendation of a particular cause or policy

Tobacco firms opposed the law, arguing that businesses should be allowed to decide whether to go smoke-free. "If they're doing this on their own -- and many of them have -- do we really need a far-reaching, broad rule like this? It should be the business owner's right to decide," said David Howard, a spokesman at Winston-Salem-based R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, a subsidiary of Reynolds American Inc.

* subsidiary : less important than but related or supplementary to

Secondhand smoke causes 46,000 heart attacks and 3,400 lung-cancer deaths a year, according to the CDC. The U.S. surgeon general declared in 2006 that no level of secondhand smoke is without risk, and smoking should be eliminated from all indoor areas.

Two recent scientific studies estimated that heart-attack hospitalizations on average dropped 8% to 17% the first year after implementation of a smoke-free law, according to the CDC.

Later this year, Michigan and Wisconsin will also implement laws banning smoking in workplaces, restaurants and bars.

Among states with new laws on the books for 2010, Illinois, New Hampshire and Oregon have banned the practice of texting while driving. California is the first state to partially prohibit the use of artificial trans fats in restaurants, following a move by several major cities. In Montana, insurance companies are now required to provide coverage for autism spectrum disorders. Same-sex couples are allowed to legally marry in New Hampshire.

* autism : a mental condition, present from early childhood, characterized by great difficulty in communicating and forming relationships with other people and in using language and abstract concepts

North Carolina's no-smoking law was passed and signed by Democratic Gov. Bev Perdue in May after two previous attempts at legislation failed. Sponsors of the bill initially sought a 100% smoke-free ban that would include all workplaces, but scaled it back. Smokers can be fined up to $50 for infractions, while bars and restaurants must pay up to $200.

* infraction : a violation or infringement of a law, agreement, or set of rules.

Several North Carolina restaurants and bars said they welcomed the ban. "At least now this way, my customers won't get mad at me about it," said Terry Harvey, owner of Jimmy's Barbecue in Lexington, who contemplated going smoke-free a few years ago, but worried he would lose customers. Earlier this week he put up no-smoking signs and removed ashtrays in his restaurant.

* contemplate : look thoughtfully for a long time at

Others said they expect the adjustment to be difficult. "I think it's gonna hurt us a lot, because people here like to drink and smoke," says John Bennett Jones, owner of JB's High Country Lounge, a bar in Fayetteville.

Mr. Jones estimated that 75% of his patrons smoke. "They're mad as hell about this, and with the economy how it is, I'm not happy about it either."

* patron : a person who gives financial or other support to a person, organization, cause, or activity

* patron : a customer, esp. a regular one, of a store, restaurant, or theater

—Betsy McKay contributed to this article.

Write to Chris Herring at chris.herring@wsj.com