Alaska Supreme Court upholds Juneau smoking ban

The Alaska Supreme Court has upheld a Juneau ordinance that prohibits smoking in certain places, including, as it turns out, the private club that is home to the Fraternal Order of Eagles, Juneau-Douglas chapter. The city and borough ordinance, passed in 2008, prohibited smoking in places that sell food or alcoholic beverages. The Juneau-Douglas group argued that it didn't apply to a private club such as their, citing First Amendment rights and privacy rights under the Alaska Constitution. But the state's highest court says the smoking ban doesn't interfere with freedom of association or violate its right to privacy. The ruling was issued Friday.