The following article was on the website for my local NBC
affiliate on 3/6/98.  If anyone really wants to read it for 
themselves the url is:  http://www.nbc739.com
-----------------------------------------------------
Undercover cops bust bar smokers
Lauren Krause
For the first time since a new smoking restriction took effect in
January, undercover police officers ticketed smokers and bar
owners for breaking the law.  Plainclothes vice detectives hit
about a dozen bars all over the city Thursday night. They cited
27 patrons and one bar owner for breaking the new state law
against smoking in bars. The tickets could cost smokers as much
as $100. But some of those ticketed say it is unfair and they
will fight the citations.
"I'm not going to pay 100 bucks. It ain't gonna happen," smoker
Benjamin Norris said. "The bar shold be punished for this, not
us."
But police say that for bar owners to be in violation of the law,
they must knowingly and willfully let people smoke. That can be
very hard to prove if the owner is not physically at the bar.
"If the owner was here and we could prove the owner knew the
smoking was going on, then they would also be cited," one of the
undercover detectives told NBC 7/39.
Police say they hit bars that were repeatedly warned by the
County Health Department about letting patrons smoke. All of the
establishments targeted Thursday had received certified letters
warning that action would be taken if they continued to allow
smoking.
Vice detectives say that they will conduct more undercover
operations as needed to enforce the new law.
---------------------------------------------------------
No further comment required.
T.E. - San Diego Ilks (Sgt. at Arms)
... God save us from those who want to save us from ourselves.
___ Blue Wave/QWK v2.20 [NR]
--- MysticToss 1.20/Pro
---------------