A new effort to ban smoking in workplaces across North Carolina has passed its first test in a state Legislative committee.
     
The House Health Committee approved the bill Tuesday. It heads next to a House legal issues committee.
     
The widow of former Insurance Commissioner Jim Long blamed the stroke that led to her husband's death last month on his decades-long smoking habit. Peg O'Connell said her husband couldn't kick his nicotine addiction, but viewed restrictions on where he could smoke as helping him cut back.
     
Rep. Cary Allred called the measure a government intrusion into business. The Alamance County Republican said businesses should be allowed to decide whether to allow smokers, and both patrons and employees will move elsewhere if they don't like it.