Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — In three months it will no longer be legal to smoke in bars and while gambling in the Big Easy.
On Friday, Mayor Mitch Landrieu signed into law a new ordinance doing away with smoking inside bars, gambling halls, stadiums and hotels. It will be a big change for a famously libertine city.
The ban in New Orleans is sparking discussion in Baton Rouge and Lafayette about whether those cities should pass their own smoking restrictions.
In New Orleans, there are more than 500 bars within the city limits and several large gambling establishments, including a Harrah's casino next to the French Quarter and a horse racing track.
Bars and the gambling industry sought to stop the ban but failed. They said a smoking ban would hurt business.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
