“I’ve been loving every minute of it,” said third-year Ashley Meyer wryly as she puffed on a cigarette outside Bar Louie. “You’re drinking your beer, and you have to leave it and go outside into this freezing blizzard.”

“I just don’t get this law,” she added. “I mean, people don’t go to bars for their health.”

Another frequent complaint among students has been the loss of a smoker culture that, until recently, cheerfully lived on in Chicago’s bars.

“It makes for a particular social bond, but now everyone’s having fun and you have to go outside in a self-imposed exile for 10 minutes. Sometimes you feel pathetic,” fourth-year John Elias said. (That is the real purpose of the ban, John.To make you a pariah and feel like a second-class citizen.)

The Cove has also seen a decrease in patronage as a result of the new act. Shawn Sleeper, a bouncer at The Cove, said the ban has resulted in a 25 percent decrease in sales at the bar, a number he attributes to patrons being less inclined to smoke out in the cold. But new problems may arise come summer.

“There’ll be more people out here, smoking, laughing, making noise and then the neighbors start complaining and that’s bad for business,” Sleeper said. He added that the Cove has already been hit with a number of fines for similar reasons in the past few years.

Christopher, a second-year who declined to give his last name, is an occasional bartender at The Cove and a frequent customer of neighborhood bars.

“Before, there were plenty of bars that were non-smoking,” he said. “And that was a choice you made before you went out. Unfortunately now, [the state] has taken the choice away from us.”

Lawmakers in other states have said they passed these laws out of concern not only for the non-smoking patrons of bars and restaurants but for the waitstaff and other employees who were forced to inhale the smoke of others. The latter claim in particular is one with which Christopher takes issue.

“Most people who work here smoke,” he said. “When I did bartend, I smoked a fair amount while I was working. It’s something that most employees participate in.”

But fourth-year Josh Hemley sympathizes with both sides of the debate.
“It’s nice to be in a bar without smoke in your face,” he said. “But I smoke too, so it’s like your mother telling you to eat your vegetables: It’s good and it’s bad.” (No, it’s just bad. It’s good when your mom does it. It’s bad when Big Brother Does it.)

Source: Chicago Maroon. Link

(No numbers in this one, just a well written letter about nicotine nannies.)

To the anti-smoking folks writing letters to the media: There seem to be two major themes coming through loud and clear.

First is a patent hatred of people who smoke. These are your friends, relatives, co-workers, employers and employees, not to mention perfect strangers who have done you no harm. Somewhere between 60 and 90 million of us … depending on who is counting.

It takes a special kind of hate and heartlessness to force people from all walks of life, race, economic status, age, disability, etc. out into the cold to smoke. And outdoor smoking areas –no more than three walls mind you — can’t serve drinks, food, entertainment, TV, heat? This is America?

The second notion is that somehow smokers are forcing you to inhale their smoke. Can someone cite one instance where a smoker forced a non-smoker into an establishment that allows (excuse me, allowed) smoking? Maybe it’s just me, but if there is something about a place I don’t like, I don’t go there. What is so difficult about this concept? A cigar bar? Why then Mr. and Ms. Non-smoker, don’t go there if it offends you. But rather the attitude of these people seems to be “change the world to suit me”. After all, isn’t it “all about me”? No compromise? Again, this is America?

The most successful propaganda is based on the theory that the biggest lie repeated often enough sinks into the subconscious. Then, it becomes religion-like.

Spencer Hendron
Lake Barrington

Source: Daily Hearld. Link

COOKEVILLE — When Toot’s closed its Willow Avenue location in December, a sign posted on restaurant doors partially blamed the state’s smoking ban. Owners Robin and Tanya Holcomb claimed sales had dropped 20 percent at the restaurant.

Others haven’t been so lucky. Both Logan’s and O’Charley’s cite declining sales, and say the ban is at least partially to blame.

Source: Herald-Citizen. Link

MARSHALL, Ill. – A new statewide smoking ban in Illinois has non-smokers breathing a sigh of relief, but some bar and restaurant workers say this ban is bad for business.

“There was about 20 of us in the bar and one person inside the bar and the bartender and everyone else was outside smoking a cigarette,” Frigge said.

Joe says he used to come to places like this, visit with friends and stay for a few hours, but since the ban Joe says he’s spending a lot more time at home.

“Anymore, maybe a half hour and I head home because I’m not going to stand there in the freezing weather to smoke a cigarette,” he said.

Just a couple of weeks ago, before the smoking ban went into place, local hangouts would be packed. Now barely anyone is here, and that can’t be good for business.

Mora works across town at Jerry’s Restaurant where the scene is pretty much the same, empty tables.

A regular used to sit at the counter and stay for hours, now there’s just an empty chair.
“Now with the coffee drinkers not staying or whatever, it makes the parking lot empty and that doesn’t look good for us either,” Mora said.

Source: WHITV.com. Link

James VonFeldt Says 2006 Adjusted Gross Income Was $914.

VonFeldt and his wife are in the process of selling Billy’s Inn, a business that’s been in their family for 40 years.

“The smoking ban killed me,” VonFeldt said. “My business has dropped 41 percent.”

Source: 7 News. Link

Owner says smoking ban hurt business

Larry’s Bar, an establishment which has operated along Pebble Lake Road on the south side of Fergus Falls since 1997, will officially close Dec. 31. The new nonsmoking law was cited as the biggest factor which led to bar owner Donna Seibel not applying for a new liquor license.

Seibel and her late husband, Larry, started leasing the building from the American Legion 10 years ago.

The restaurant business at Otter Supper Club also has decreased since the smoking ban took effect, Buchanan said. On a positive note, the establishment has seen an increase in the offsale (liquor) business.

“I surmise that smokers who formerly would spend an hour in our lounge figure they’re better off buying liquor at our offsale location — and spending more time in the warmth and comfort of their homes,” Buchanan said. “At home they don’t have to leave warm confines and go outside into the cold to smoke.”

Source: The Daily Journal Online. Link

Talk to proprietors who have amassed a pile of smoking complaints, and they’ll tell you the state indoor smoking ban is really hurting business.

Even after she stopped objecting to customers smoking, Risk said her business is still down by 35 percent from last year.

“From what I understand, it about put everybody out of business here in Middletown,” said Gabbard, who manages the state’s leading target of smoking complaints. “That’s the feedback I’m getting from other businesses. And I’m hearing that from just about everywhere in the state.”

In the end, Boston said, he thinks enforcement will create an even playing field for establishments like his and Risk’s.

(And there it is, folks, the “Level Playing Field” defense. Of course, if bans really were good for business, no “level playing field” would be necessary.)

Source: Dayton Daily News. Link

The law bans smoking in just about all public places that serve food, except for casinos. But smokers say it goes too far and restaurant and bar owners say it’s ruining their business.

“We do have some people coming in,” says Parker Mills, bar manager at Famous Murphy’s of Reno on South Virginia Street. “But it’s not like it used to be.”

Profits from the slot machines that used to rake in money from the bar have dropped 65 percent since Nevada voted to ban smoking in restaurants and bars with kitchens.

“If people aren’t coming into gamble, you have to raise the prices,” says Mills. “And instead of having five dollar chicken wings, they’re now 11 bucks.”

A lot of non-smokers are saying that’s too bad; and some, like former smoker Carol Mayberry want the act expanded even further.

“I think it’s important for them to stay in their cars or house and away from public places.”

(Isn’t the compassion of the nicotine nannies a wonderful thing? You can just feel the hate oozing from this bitch’s pores.)

Lazzerone says he’s still seen a big economic impact on business, despite the remodeling. And Mills says the promise of an increase in non-smoking customers is a dream that simply hasn’t come true.

“They haven’t showed up in place of the smoking gamblers who disappeared.”

Source: Kolo 8. Link

Revenue has dropped at many taverns – as much as 30 percent in some locations – because of a decline in customers, shooed away by the state smoking ban in establishments that serve food.

The prohibition against smoking, which took effect in January, sent gamblers who want to light up while playing slot machines to traditional casinos or one of the few taverns built before 1992 that have 35 slot machines and are exempt because the businesses were classified as casinos.

Wilcock estimates that 75 of the association’s roughly 300 members gave up food service to keep their gambling and smoking patrons. Most of the membership, he said, is complying with the smoking ban “but are losing their shirts.”

Sachs said the gambling devices made Steiner’s three locations profitable.
Since January, however, revenues from the slot machines are off
29 percent to 35 percent at each location.

“We probably do as well on food as anybody because that’s something we wanted to establish,” Sachs said. “But other places might take a monthly loss of $10,000 on food, but made it up with the gaming. That’s not the case now because the business is not there.”

Herbst Gaming is Nevada’s largest slot route operator with approximately 7,200 slot machines in 700 locations throughout the state.
In the third quarter, Herbst said revenues from the company’s route operations were $66.1 million in the three months ended Sept. 30, a 21 percent drop over the same period in 2006.

For the first nine months of 2007, Herbst’s slot route operations generated $212.5 million, 19 percent less than the same nine-month period in 2006.

“There is no question the smoking ban had a dramatic impact on our route operations and has fundamentally changed the slot route industry,” Herbst Gaming President Ed Herbst told gaming analysts following the earnings release.

United Coin Machine, which operates about 6,000 machines in more than 400 locations statewide, is experiencing similar losses in revenue.

United Coin President Grant Lincoln said the smoking ban created an uneven playing field for the tavern operators, who don’t have the promotional budgets to match the customer incentives offered by the large casinos.

“There’s not a lot we can do,” Lincoln said. “As their volume suffers, our volume suffers. The question is, have we truly bottomed out? The smoking issue has been a fairly crushing blow for the average tavern operator.”

Source: koltv.com. Link

It’s been nearly two months since the Minnesota statewide smoking ban took effect. As Chris Buckley reports, it’s having an impact on bar business on the Iron Range.

Palmers Tavern in Hibbing has been in business nearly fifteen years. Owner John Larson says he’d expected business to take a hit after the new law went into effect and he did immediately.

He says this October he sold nearly thirty percent {less} product than October of 2006.

And the biggest hit was the weekday afternoon crowd.

“The people getting done with work that want to have a couple of beers, a couple of cigarettes, and go home.

These people don’t go out at night, they don’t go out on weekends, this was the only time we’d see them, and many I haven’t seen since October first.”

“Our reps have said they’re at least 30 to 35% down in sales, I do know of a place in Orr that’s already begun laying off people because of it.”

He says pull tab sales are also nearly thirty percent lower than normal.

“I see the same regular players but don’t see them gambling as much, some would spend several hundred a night, and now instead of playing for three hours they’re here maybe an hour.”

The non-smokers who frequent the bar, he says, are happy with the new rules.

But those are people that are there several times a week. He hasn’t seen any new customers taking advantage of the smoke-free environment.

“I’d be interested in asking the non-smokers that say they haven’t come out in ten, fifteen years that stood in front of the county and said, we’re ready to go out. Geez, I’d like to see it – we’ve been here for 15 years, now we’re smoke free, you wanted it so here it is!”

Source: Northland News Center. Link

In a June 28th Suburban Journal article, the owners of El Maguey Mexican restaurant and Donatelli’s Bistro expressed concern that a Lake St. Louis smoking ban would harm their businesses. They are right to worry. Elsa Barth, owner of the Seventh Inn restaurant in Ballwin, says her restaurant experienced an immediate 35 percent decline in business due to the Ballwin smoking ban. She explained that if a dinner party included even a single smoker, it would choose an alternate establishment that allowed smoking.

Source: Keep St. Louis Free Blog. Link

In the first month of Ohio’s public smoking ban, the little bar in a blue-collar Summit County neighborhood lost $1,000.

The reason was obvious: The bar’s owner followed the law, telling customers they couldn’t smoke. The bar’s competitors didn’t, and some even ”rented” ashtrays to customers, with the money going into a kitty to defray any smoking-violation fines.

The bar-hopping customers stopped hopping into the little bar. And the regulars, although they kept coming, were buying fewer drinks.

”They’d spend 20 minutes at the bar drinking a beer, then 10 minutes outside smoking,” said the owner, who spoke anonymously to protect himself from health department inspectors. ”Instead of drinking five or six beers, they were drinking one or two.”

After losing a grand in May, the bar owner changed course in June.

”I figured if that pace kept up,” he said, ”I’d be out of business before anyone else. So I said, what I’ll do is I’ll let them smoke until we get caught. The next month, instead of losing $1,000, we made $2,500 more.”

And he hasn’t been caught.

”I had to make a decision,” he said. ”I just decided to break the law and be done with it. It’s like speeding on the highway — you’re breaking the law, but until you get caught, you’re going to keep speeding, I guess.”

In Akron, Corky’s Thomastown Cafe on South Arlington Street has drawn the most complaints: 37.

Owner Billy McFrye is facing a $100 fine, on top of a loss of customers.

”People aren’t coming out,” he said. ”I’ve got numbers from last year to this year, and you can see it. It’s unreal. It’s gross. It’s down at least 25 percent.”

He remembers hearing the argument that nonsmokers would come out to take the place of smokers who stay home. But that hasn’t happened at Corky’s.

”Nonsmokers don’t go out anyway,” McFrye said. ”They’re the cheapest people breathing air. I’ve been in business 23 years, and I know there’s nothing cheaper than a nonsmoker. I’m really upset with it. I wish the people who voted for it would get cancer, that’s how pissed I am about it.”

McFrye built a patio for smokers so they could go outside and smoke without having to deal with rain, wind and snow. The health department, however, told him he couldn’t allow smoking on the patio because the patio’s roof and walls make it an enclosed space — and the law prohibits smoking in enclosed public spaces.

McFrye has an attorney fighting his fine and the health department’s ruling on the patio. In the meantime, he’s going to continue to let customers light up.

”I’ve got the signs up and ask them not to,” he said, ”but I’m not going to fight with anyone over smoking.”

Christ has heard that before.

”I’ve had owners tell me that as long as they’re open, they’re going to allow their customers to smoke,” she said. ”The next fine is $500. That might have a little bearing on that decision.”

At the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church on Portage Trail in Cuyahoga Falls, {bingo} business dropped by 25 percent after the smoking ban went into effect, parishioner Matt Pagni said.

Instead of breaking the law to allow smoking, the church bought propane heaters to put just outside the gym doors, along with free coffee. This spring, the church built a patio with chairs, ashtrays and an awning. Volunteers will play patrons’ bingo cards if they have to slip out for a smoke.

Now the church’s bingo business is back to at least 95 percent of what it was before the smoking ban. (So after all that extra expense, they’re still making less money.)

Bars, though, are in a different situation, said Jacob Evans, spokesman for the Ohio Licensed Beverage Association.

”We’re hearing from a lot of bars who are talking about drops in sales ranging from 30 to 40 percent, some 80 percent,” he said. ”And some say they’ve had a 100 percent drop because they’ve had to go ahead and close their doors.”

And, now, winter is on the way.

”What’s going to happen now when people have to step outside (to smoke)? If it’s bad now,” Evans said, ”it’s going to be devastating with the cold weather.”

Nationwide, 15 states have laws banning smoking in all bars and restaurants. Kentucky’s Annual Economic Report did a study about 100 percent smoking bans.

One portion found banning smoking in bars means reducing the number of jobs in bars by 17 percent, which is nearly one in five jobs. Another study done by two smokers with their own money, says that smoking bans hurt bar and restaurant business 80 percent of the time.

Source: WSAZ.com. Link

DETROIT LAKES, Minn. (AP) A Detroit Lakes area bar owner is blaming Minnesota’s new smoking ban for putting him out of business.

Kent Tweten (TWEE’-ten) owned T-F Boonies south of Detroit Lakes. Tweten says he’d owned the bar for only a few months and was working to build a customer base when the statewide smoking ban took effect October First.

Tweten says his “happy hours” were growing when the ban hit, but after that his after-work business shrunk to nothing.

Tweten, a former Moorhead bar owner, says most established bars may be able to hang on but he predicts some will have no choice but to close because of the smoking ban.

Source: KSMC News. Link

LAS VEGAS, Nevada — The acquisition last spring of three casinos in Primm helped Herbst Gaming significantly grow its overall net revenues. Nevada’s 10-month-old ban on smoking in bars, restaurants and taverns, however, continued to eat away at the company’s profits
.
Herbst Gaming reported a net loss of $28.9 million for the quarter ended Sept. 30, reversing net income of $8.2 million a year ago. Revenues in the period, however, were $219 million, a 58.6 percent increase compared with $138.1 million in the third quarter last year.

“There is no question the smoking ban had a dramatic impact on our route operations and has fundamentally changed the slot route industry,” Herbst Gaming President Ed Herbst said in a conference call with analysts.

Source: Casino City Times. Link

Winona, Minn. — Winona bars are reporting a steep decline in business a month after a statewide smoking ban went into effect.

At the 500 Club, bartender Becky Brinkmeyer has noticed some regulars aren’t staying as long. Others aren’t coming in at all. “People used to come in here because they can’t smoke in their car or home,” Brinkmeyer said. “Now they can’t smoke here.”

Bar owners throughout the state are reporting a drop in business as a result of the smoking ban, and with winter coming, they fear it could get worse.

The Winona American Legion has seen a similar decrease in sales, and not just alcohol. Bartender Barb Schewe says pull-tab charitable gambling sales are way down.

“We get the same people. They just don’t stay,” Schewe said. “Once it gets cold, I think it’ll be worse.”

The same story is playing out across the state, said Tavern League of Minnesota director of communications Sue Jeffers. “We’re feeling the pain everywhere,” Jeffers said.
Early estimates indicate an average loss of 20 to 30 percent in bar sales, Jeffers said. Places that also serve food are fairing better. Jeffers, a former bar owner, said a 2005 smoking ban in Hennepin County contributed to 137 bars closing.

The real test to for Winona bars will come in about six months, said Tom Overland, owner of The Bar and the Mankato Bar. He said both businesses have experienced about a 20 to 30 percent loss.

Source: :LaCrosse Tribune. Link

KNOXVILLE (WATE) — According to the health department, the smoking ban law says that an establishment has to allow all smoking all the time, or never at all.

On Sunday nights, the Electric Cowboy has ‘College Night’ which is the only night those under 21 can enter and the only night it is smoke free.

The health department’s interpretation of the law says this is illegal. Van Veelen believes this is up for debate and will be debated in the next legislative session.

Van Veelen believes the law was written without thinking of consequences. Another unintended consequence is having to lay off those under 21 if the establishment allows smoking. He’s had to lose about ten employees and thinks this is another part of the law that needs to change.

(Once again, the nicotine nannies protect workers right out of a job.)

Source: wate.com. Link

KNOXVILLE (WATE) — Two weeks have passed since the statewide smoking ban went into effect and for some restaurants, like Charlie Peppers on Cumberland Drive, business has been shaky.

But manger Chad Hensley says he thinks their decision to allow smoking and go 21 and up on customers will pay off in the long-run.

For now, Hensley says he’s more preoccupied with hiring employees to replace the seven underage employees he lost.

All of them were under 21 and couldn’t work at Charlie Peppers anymore there since it now allows smoking.

“I lost a pretty good amount of very dedicated employees,” Hensley says.

One of the restaurant’s former cooks spoke with 6 News Wednesday, saying the law is unfair and he didn’t expect to lose his job.

“It’s rough when you lose your job any time, especially when you weren’t fired, you didn’t quit, and you weren’t ready to lose it,” says Andrew Sayne, 20. “I put my heart and soul into the job.”

(How dare he be ungrateful to the nicotine nannies who cost him his job. Doesn’t he know they’re doing it for his own good?)

Hensley says the restaurant made the decision to go 21 and up because Charlie Peppers has more of a night time bar atmosphere, and a good number of his patrons want to drink and smoke.

KNOXVILLE (WATE) — A West Knoxville restaurant owner says lawmakers told him his cigar room was legal under the new smoking ban. But when the ban went into effect, health officials told him to shut it down.

In addition to the business he’s losing, Kalogeros also lost $70,000 building the room. He says he’s speaking with lawyers to see if there is any way he can recoup some of his losses. But health officials say there’s little hope of saving the cigar room.

Source: WATE.com Link

HAMILTON — Sizemore, owner of Rick’s Tavern & Grille in Fairfield, said Thursday he’s complying with the smoking law. He even built a $20,000 smoking area outside.

But business in May was down $32,000 from the year before, he said.

Health department officials offered empathy, but said they could do little to help.

Link

James Doolin says he’s abiding by the smoking ban and he’s lost 30% of his bingo customers as a result. What’s eating at him more than the ban is the fact other bingo parlors appear to be a little lax in their enforcement. According to the public records we requested, he may have a point.

“It’s okay for them to say that now. And it’s okay for this judge to sit on the bench and wait until Christmas, but what about our charities? What about these charities that can’t make it?” asks Doolin.

Source: Wave3.com. Link

HAMILTON — Rick Sizemore told the Butler County Board of Health that lax local enforcement of Ohio’s smoking ban is giving his law-breaking competition an unfair advantage.

But business in May was down $32,000 from the year before, he said.

“People that I’m competing with are continuing to (allow smoking) on a daily basis,” he said, refusing to name names. “There’s no other factor involved in this.”

(But how is that possible, if, as the nannies claim, smoking bans are good for businesses. Could it be that they’re…lying? Naw, not them.)

Source: Journal News. Link.

As of the first quarter 2007 the Colorado smoking ban has imposed at least $16.8 million in economic damages on bars and taverns in the state, 6.4 percent of previous revenues, and many of our members are experiencing profit declines in the range of fifteen to forty percent,” said Allen Campbell, Senior Vice President of the Coalition.

Source: Associated Content. Link

The Colorado Coalition for Equal Rights on Monday denounced the state’s ban on smoking in public places, saying that data from the state’s hurting tavern and bar industry gives the lie to the efficacy of the measure.

As of the first quarter 2007 the Colorado smoking ban has imposed at least $16.8 million in economic damages on bars and taverns in the state, 6.4 percent of previous revenues, and many of our members are experiencing profit declines in the range of fifteen to forty percent,” said Allen Campbell, Senior Vice President of the Coalition.

The Colorado law met with very mixed reviews, including a lot of hostile ones, when it was first enacted, especially in light of the fact that if you work from home, your home office is considered a “public building” and if you’re a smoker you are thus restricted in what you can do in a certain part of your own home.

Source: Associated Content. Link

At Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock, a patient wheeled his IV out to the sidewalk by the parking lot to smoke. Another smoker crossed a busy interstate off-ramp to smoke on the overpass.

Source: Today’s THV. Link