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Indoor Smoking Ban Begins In Indiana

MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. (CBS) -- Indiana is the latest state to ban indoor public smoking, starting this week.

As WBBM Newsradio's John Waelti reports, the new law bans smoking in most public places, including restaurants. Smoking is also banned within eight feet of a door to any of those places.

LISTEN: WBBM Newsradio's John Waelti reports

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But unlike in Illinois, standalone bars and taverns are exempt.

Carol Bailey owns Matey's in Michigan City, which includes a restaurant and a bar.

"So we have one side that we thought was going to be smoking, and the other side would be non-smoking," she said. "We're not even connected. We're connected by hallways."

But the new law in Indiana requires all or nothing. Bailey chose to continue to allow smoking, meaning anyone under 21 could no longer enter even the restaurant.

"It probably will affect our business," she said. "We're one of the closest restaurants to our marina, zoo, and the beachfront, and we get a lot of families here."

Long term, Bailey believes her business of 20 years will survive, something she hopes is not the case with lawmakers who supported the ban.

Also exempt from the smoking ban are casinos, riverboats and tobacco stores.

Smoking has been banned in virtually all indoor venues in Illinois since Jan. 1, 2008.

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