The Great American Smokeout was held for the 27th year in a row by the American Cancer Society yesterday and the organization took the occasion to announce its opposition to a bill by Hamptonburgh Assemblyman Howard Mills that would modify the current state's no-smoking in public law.

Mills' proposes to have bars and restaurants with liquor licenses to be allowed to apply for a license to allow smokers in their establishments. While he agrees that smoking is harmful to one's health, he said business people should not be dictated to by government as to how to run their businesses.

American Cancer Society of the Hudson Valley spokesman Dan Klotz yesterday said his group opposes Mills' plan. “As the months go by and it's implemented better and better, it's going to work very well,” he said of the no smoking law. “The reason why it works is the ban right now is comprehensive, there are no loopholes. All the businesses get to compete on a level playing field.” Klotz said to introduce “loopholes” that allow one establishment smoking privileges and not another, “is not what we consider to be a level playing field.” Klotz said that's why the New York State Restaurant Association takes the American Cancer Society's side in supporting an across the board ban on smoking.

The American Cancer Society estimated that 10 million people put down their cigarettes yesterday during their annual campaign.