The 2009-10 General Assembly did a smart thing. Faced with evidence of adverse health effects in patrons of restaurants and bars where smoking was allowed, the legislature banned smoking in those establishments. The law took effect last Jan. 2, and one year later, there's evidence the law has worked well.

State health officials say air quality has improved by 89 percent, meaning that customers as well as employees and owners of restaurants and bars are breathing healthier air. State Health Director Jeff Engel says the law is making a huge difference: "The law is protecting North Carolinians from the health hazards of secondhand smoke, and that will have a lasting impact on the health of our citizens."

That's because secondhand smoke has been linked to heart disease, cancer, respiratory infections and asthma, he went on. The Surgeon General's Report recently noted that even brief exposure to tobacco smoke can cause bodily changes that may trigger a heart attack or stroke in citizens with heart problems, or asthma attacks in those with respiratory ills.

The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services recently noted that restaurant and bar owners are reporting healthier staffs.

Just three years ago, nearly 8 percent of the state's adults said they were exposed to secondhand smoke every day at work. But for the first nine months of 2010, just 4.3 percent said they now are exposed to secondhand smoke every day at work.

That means compliance with the law has been good, said Engel, citing the work of local health departments around the state to enforce the law. The number of complaints about secondhand smoke has dropped significantly, from more than 500 the first month to less than 50 in November.

Another reason for the good rate of compliance is the state hospitality industry's support for the law. The N.C. Restaurant and Lodging Association was leery of the proposed law several years ago unless it applied evenly to bars and restaurants. The bill passed with the association's help, and the consensus is that the ban on smoking has had an "overall positive effect," said Paul Stone, head of the association.

In fact, the law appears to have helped business. More than 40 percent said in a survey they dine out more often now, while 8.3 percent said they dined out less often. About half said it made no difference. Among bar patrons, 18 percent said they went out to bars more often since the law took effect while nearly 11 percent said they went out less. Nearly 71 percent said it made no difference.

By all these measures the new law has been a signal success. But the law does not have universal support, and there may be legislative challenges to it during this year's session.

Some bar owners say they continue to allow smoking on their premises. They argue that because nonprofit clubs are exempt from the law and can legally allow smoking, bars with similar attractions are at a competitive disadvantage. Legislators should pay close attention to the improvements in air quality the new law has brought, and extend coverage of the existing law to nonprofit clubs not covered by the law.