Since January, I’ve been reporting on the battle against North Carolina’s smoking ban being waged by Chapel Hill hookah bar owner Adam Bliss. Today’s Carolina Journal carries the latest developments for Bliss — fines, which are racking up at $200 per day.
A Chapel Hill hookah bar owner’s defiance of the state’s smoking ban now is costing him $200 a day. Fines began accruing Monday for Adam Bliss, owner of Hookah Bliss, when an official non-compliance ticket was hand-delivered by Tom Konsler, Orange County’s environmental health director.
“I’m going to try to fight it,” said Bliss, who has continued to sell hookahs since the ban took effect Jan. 2.
Bliss had encouraged people to file complaints against his bar to generate an administrative penalty for a possible legal challenge. He received warning letters from the county in late January and early February. Monday’s ticket is what he’s been waiting for — a third violation, which comes with a fine.
Konsler said Bliss has told the county he’s not going to comply. The result, Konsler said, is that the penalty grows by $200 every day Bliss is open until he notifies Orange officials that he is operating by the law.
