Adam Bliss, owner of Hookah Bliss in Chapel Hill — he’s the entrepreneur who is fighting the state’s ban on smoking in most bars and restaurants — reports to me that his bar has been visited by Orange County Health Director Rosemary Summers and Orange County Environmental Health Director Tom Konsler. The county is the local enforcer of the smoking ban.
Bliss says he was out of town the day of the visit, but that Summers and Konsler left two documents: rules about North Carolina’s anti-smoking law and a letter explaining why they visited. You may recall that, as I reported in my story linked above, Bliss sought out Dr. Summers earlier this month and discussed with her his concerns about the law. In an e-mail to me this week, Bliss wrote:
Apparently she took my visit to her as a “report of violation” and we got 1 complaint off the web site and that prompted the personal visit.
Bliss adds that, should the county receive another complaint about his bar — he’s still selling hookahs and beer in defiance of the ban — he expects to receive an official written warning. Bliss has vowed to fight the smoking law in court. He stands to lose about $70,000 if his business goes under.
