| Despite the objections of many groups in the | | | | bars have seen as much as a 50% decline in |
| food service industry, public smoking bans have | | | | business after the passage of a smoking ban. |
| been passed with increasing frequency over the | | | | While it is unfortunate that some businesses take |
| past five years. Restaurants and bars are | | | | a huge hit when a smoking ban is passed, the |
| primarily concerned with losing business as a result | | | | health benefits that are a direct result of banning |
| of these smoking bans. | | | | public smoking are significant, and should really |
| Advocacy groups claim that the health benefits of | | | | outweigh other concerns. |
| banning smoking far outweigh any other concern. | | | | Heart attacks in public places drop as much as |
| As a restaurateur, you are probably either | | | | 40% after the enforcement of a public smoking |
| already under a such a ban or will be soon, and it's | | | | ban. The air quality of restaurants and bars goes |
| important to understand the pros and cons of | | | | from "dangerous" or "extremely unhealthy" |
| these bans on your business. | | | | classifications to "normal" and "good" overnight. |
| For starters, research has shown that bar and | | | | The body of evidence linking even small amounts |
| restaurant revenue did not show an appreciable | | | | of second hand smoke to short and long term |
| drop after the introduction of a ban. Smokers just | | | | health problems is now overwhelming. |
| don't go home after a it's passed. Instead, they | | | | For the food service industry, smoking bans are a |
| cut down on their smoking and go outside when | | | | reality that must be dealt with. If you have the |
| they need a smoke. Some food service | | | | bad luck of operating in a segment that will suffer |
| businesses actually saw a rise in business after | | | | from the passage of a smoking ban in your area, |
| the ban was passed as new customers ventured | | | | start to develop a strategy for the day the ban |
| out because of the new smoke-free environment. | | | | arrives, because it will be here sooner or later. If |
| However, specific segments of the industry do | | | | you have already found yourself under a smoking |
| not follow this general trend. In particular, blue | | | | ban, you've probably already seen the effects it's |
| collar establishments take the hardest hit when a | | | | having on your business. |
| new ban is passed. Bowling alleys and small local | | | | |