Under the bill, which now heads to the Senate, violators will be fined $50 and the owner of the establishment $200 up to $500 per violation.
But bars, night clubs and other similar establishments offering alcoholic beverages can still allow smoking.
During their deliberations, lawmakers were told that a total ban may hurt the CNMI’s tourism industry as some tourists want to smoke while eating at restaurants.
But Rep. Diego T. Benavente, R-Saipan, said, “We’re just trying to draw a line here.”
Rep. Justo S. Quitugua, D-Saipan, who sponsored the bill, said exemptions can be made by designating a smoking area.
He said the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion said secondhand smoke is cancer-causing agent linked to increasing risk to lung cancer and coronary heart disease among adults.
When exposed to secondhand-smoke, children can develop asthma, bronchitis and pneumonia.
The U.S. surgeon general said the simple separation of smokers and nonsmokers with the same air space may reduce, but will not eliminate, the exposure of nonsmokers to secondhand smoke.
Secondhand smoke is associated with about 3,000 lung disease and 35,000 heart disease deaths annually in the United States, federal health authorities said.
