Matthew Long, 40, contends that the Old West Station pub in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, should have put up rails to stop customers, who were forced to go outside for a cigarette due to the smoking ban, from falling.

The incident took place in August last year, a month after the smoking ban came into force.

The members of his family have revealed that he was so brain-damaged that he even had to relearn his own name.

Its absolutely devastating for Matthew and the whole family. He smoked only ten cigarettes a day but he must be the worst victim of the smoking ban, British tabloid The Sun quoted him sister Clare Ratcliffe, 46, as saying.

If he hadn’t had to step outside to light up it would never have happened. It had been happy hour and Matthew had a few drinks but has no recollection of what happened, she added.

Source: Thaindian News.  Link

First off we stopped taking wages and started using our savings to live on. Then we re-wrote the mortgage on our house and opened a home equity line of credit.

Six months into the ban our business had dropped off by 41%.

By November of 2006 we had to drop our Liquor License Insurance (Dram shop), because we could no longer afford it. At the end of our fiscal year the business was down by 26%. The ban had been in effect for only 4 out of 12 months.

Our adjusted gross income for 2006 was $914.00.

We went from a comfortable life style to zero in less than a year.

In 2007 we saw our business continue to fall off. We sold off other property at a loss and used the money to go on. We dropped our property insurance because we could no longer afford to pay that. We ran the last year of business without any insurance of any kind.

On January the first we celebrated our 40th. Anniversary at Billy’s Inn. My wife’s father ran it for 19 years. In 1985 I left the unions because I was tired of rebels dictating policy in my life. I swore no one would ever dictate policy in my life again. I started running the business in 1985 for my father-in-law. In 1987 we took over the business and have been there ever since. Twenty three years down the drain. I am now sixty two years old and I have to find a job till I can retire at sixty six. Little did I know that the next rebel would be in our own legislature.

After the sale of the business our government taxed us 21% on what we could sell.

Then our government penalized us 25% because we retired three years to soon.

Since closing. One of my bartenders has a wife and four children. He has been homeless since the spring of 2008. In February of 2009 they got into a two bedroom apartment. With four children that is real cozy.

One of the other bartenders, (An unwed mother of two), is also now losing her home. Her new job at Walgreen’s does not pay what she received as a bartender.

Another had a killing outside the bar while they were smoking. Two families destroyed by the smoking ban. There was no bartender or owner outside to intervene.

63 bars, 478 employees, 1 casino, 62 employees, 2 nightclubs, 46 employees, 1 bowling alley, 3 pool halls, and 16 bingo halls all closed. Number of employees un-known.

Venders such as Fender Entertainment gone. Lisa Fender booked entertainment for bars and taverns. Businesses could not afford the entertainment venues so it cost her the business.

In 2006 there were 44 bingo halls, now there are 28 left. The non-profits, who could least afford it, are the biggest losers. The losses are in the millions.

What ever happened to love thy neighbor? Or live and let live. Is this truly the American way?

Source:  Letter to The Smokers Club.  Link.

Additinal Source: The Denver Post.  Link.

that’s a key finding of CGA’s survey of recent closure rates nationally.

The figures are broken down by Parliamentary constituency as part of the campaigns by the British Beer & Pub Association, the Campaign for Real Ale and the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group to show politicians the scale of the closure crisis.

It compares pub numbers in February 2009 with figures from June 2007, just before the English smoking ban, and data from the last general election in 2005.

More than half of constituencies with fastest closure rates since 2007 are in the West Midlands and Scotland. Dudley South lost the greatest proportion of pub stock — 28% (29 pubs).

Big job losses in the West Midlands, and the fact that many of the pubs are smaller and landlocked, have been given as reasons for closures in that region.

The early smoking ban and fears of costly licensing reform have been blamed for above-average closure rates north of the border.

Other reasons given for closures have been a move towards change-of-use, over-regulation and rent levels.

The Cities of London & Westminster has seen the biggest number of closures since June 2007, 30 from a pub stock of 949.

Manchester Central has seen the biggest fall in numbers since the 2005 election, with 50 fewer pubs.

Overall, the study shows there were 61,677 pubs in England, Scotland and Wales in February 2009, down 3,037 in 20 months and 4,271 fewer than in June 2005.

They argue their turnover went down by 60 percent after the introduction of the ban and say they had no choice but to put the ashtrays back on the tables. The owners are facing a maximum fine of 18,500 euros, and the judge can order the café temporarily closed.

Many of Groningen’s publicans are expected to attend the trial to offer the owners of De Kachel moral support.

Source: Radion Netherlands.  Link

And the province has made allowances for bars hosting VLTs whose machine revenues might be undermined by butting-out laws.

Revenue from VLTs in 2008-09 are forecast to fall $60 million from the province’s prediction earlier this year to $619 million.

That’s down from $703 million in 2007-08 and $735 million the year before that.

Machines are located in bars and lounges, which were forced to adhere to earlier smoking prohibitions in Calgary and Edmonton and a blanket provincial ban a year ago. It’s hard to explain the trend, said Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission spokeswoman Lynn Hutchings-Mah, adding a butt ban could be a factor.

“If you have a smoking ban or a cold snap, that could drive business down,” she said.

Calgary’s two-year-old smoking ban has cut VLT use, said Sherry Morrison, owner of Shuckaluck’s Public Ale House, 11440 Braeside Dr. S.W., adding the take from her machines has fallen 15% to 20%.

Source: Calgary Sun.  Link

However, restaurants and cafes in shopping malls that do not want to lose smokers as customers are ignoring the ban.

The same applies to the Olivium mall in the Zeytinburnu district where some restaurants are ignoring the ban due to the decrease in customers. The proprietor of a restaurant where smoking is permitted in Olivium said, “[The ban] reduced business by 90 percent. We had 11 employees here, now we have five, it is a shame…

Source: Hurriyet Daily News.  Link

The number of bankruptcies filed by cafe bars in the first six months of 2008 rose by 56 percent over the same period a year ago, according to a study by Euler Hermes SFAC, a large credit insurance company. No reliable figures are available for the latter part of this year, when an economic slowdown here has been accelerated by the general financial crisis, a collapse in consumer confidence and the quick tightening of credit.

Not only are the French spending less, and drinking less, cutting down on the intensity and quality of the debates, but on Jan. 1 of this year, after much huffing and puffing, France extended its smoking ban to bars, cafes and restaurants.

Marco Mayeux, 42, the bartender of Le Relais, a Paris cafe in the 18th Arrondissement, said the ban alone had cut his coffee and bar business by 20 percent.

“A place like mine doesn’t appeal to everyone; it’s very working-stiff,” he said. “There is a coffee-at-the-counter feel that isn’t attractive anymore.”

Before, clients would go inside a cafe, have a coffee, a cigarette and another coffee. But now they go out to smoke, and sometimes they do not come back, many cafe owners said.

In Paris, Mr. Picolet, of Aux Amis du Beaujolais, said simply: “The bar-cafes? They’re finished. Twenty years ago, people would go in the morning before work for a coffee and a cigarette. And now, it’s over. Young people don’t drink during the day, and when they drink, they drink to get wasted. Smoking is forbidden and they eat en route, with coffee in a paper cup. They smoke and drink at home.”

Source: The New York Times.  Link

“When we were allowed to smoke in the taverns, we had ashtrays and they were regularly cleaned out and taken care of,” said Reynolds. “People didn’t have to toss their butts out here on the street.”

Source: KCCI.  Link

The cafe owners want the ban, which came into force on July 1, scrapped arguing they have neither the space nor the money to build specially-ventilated smoking areas.

Source: AFP. Link

Even the government accepts the legislation has had a huge impact on trade and is allowing bars to claim business rate reductions.

The ban is often cited as one of the prime factors killing pubs – and now a campaign has been launched in Suffolk to try to amend the law.

Jim Adams is behind the bid and is urging regulars at pubs all over the country to sign a petition.

“The smoking ban should be replaced with a rule that would require all public houses to have a room set aside for smokers instead of the really stupid overall ban,” said Mr Adams, who runs Jim and Donna’s Barbers in Hamilton Road, Felixstowe.

“The ban is killing the pub trade and removing from the English way of life one of the most sought after features for tourists coming here. There is no justifiable reason to stop those who wish to smoke from so doing.

“If there is another part of the pub which is a smoking area then the folk who wish to smoke may so do, and those who want a smoke-free area may have the rest of the establishment – including the food area – to themselves.”

The Evening Star is highlighting the loss of pubs in the area – more than 100 have closed in living memory – and the threat many are now facing to their future.

Kate Nicholls, head of communications at the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR), which represents pubs and bars, said: “Last summer’s bad weather and the smoking ban were to blame for a number of closures.

“People are not going to want to stand outside and smoke when the weather is unpleasant and with extremely cheap supermarket drink deals available. It just gives people a reason to stay home.”

Source: Evening Star.  Link

Nationwide and around the world the loss of businesses and jobs after smoking bans are implemented is staggering. Even though air quality testing by organizations like the American Cancer Society, Johns Hopkins, a Minnesota Environmental Health Department, British Medical Journal published contributors prove that secondhand smoke levels are 15 – 25,000 times SAFER than OSHA permissible exposure limits (PEL).

Meanwhile Nicoderm manufacturer Johnson & Johnson Company, whose private foundation RWJF funds the smoking ban movement, saw 40% 1st quarter 2008 revenue growth over their previous year.

Currently, smoking cessation product sales just in the U.S. accounts for $500 million, but thanks to rent seeking smoking ban legislation; industry insiders expect those sales to climb to $4.6 billion annually by 2016.

Source: Casino Gambeling Web.  Link.

The owner, Rich Marx, said the smoking ban drove him out of business.

“We just celebrated our 10 year anniversary last Wednesday and then shut the doors three days later,” Marx said.

“Since the smoking ban went into effect July 1, we’ve lost just over 40 percent of our business,” he said.

Source: KCCI.  Link.

Dombrowski has received two calls from Gulfport police, warning him that smoking inside Skeeters is illegal. But if he obeys the law, he says his Gulfport business could close.

In the first three months after smoking was banned, his restaurant revenues dropped more than 30%. So, in August, he started to look the other way when people wanted to smoke. By October, he put out ashtrays.

Source: WLOX-TV.  Link.

“They’ve served their country, and a lot of them are older veterans,” Carpenter said. “They’re not going to stand outside in 35 below zero weather and smoke. I mean, they’ll sit at home and smoke.”

The Bemidji American Legion has been smoke free longer than most bars in the state. That’s because Beltrami County passed a smoking ban ordinance a full two years before the state did. Club manager Bill Rice said the ban is largely to blame for cutting the club’s business in half.

“We were doing two and a half million in business in gross sales a year,” Rice said. “We’re down to a little over a million this year.”

Rice has had to cut three jobs at the Legion since the smoking ban took effect.

Minnesota Licensed Beverage Association interim director Tony Chesak said it’s clear to him the ban is causing bars across the state to fail.

I’d say, realistically, 200 to 300 licensed establishments, at least, have closed,” Chesak said. “I would think that would be a conservative number.”

Membership in the association dropped about 25 percent this year. Chesak said the promise of non-smokers frequenting bars more often because of the smoke free law hasn’t panned out.

“All the anti-smoking folks had said, you know, you get smoking out of your facilities and we’ll come in droves,” said Chesak. “Well, those droves didn’t come out.” {They never do.}

A poll conducted in September shows Minnesotans support the statewide smoke-free law by an overwhelming 77 percent. Gordon said national studies have found that smoking bans don’t hurt businesses in states that have bans in place. {That’s only true of studies conducted by nicotine nannies or the governments that passed the law. The few studies funded by tavern associations show the real, devastating effects.}

Source: Minnesota Public Radio. Link.

Shadow communities secretary Eric Pickles said that a £5,000 reduction in the rateable value of their business could save publicans £2,200 a year, at a time when the British Beer and Pub Association estimates that pubs are closing at the rate of 27 a week.

Source:  Telegraph UK  Link

Revenues for casinos in Cripple Creek, along with Colorado’s other gaming towns, have fallen every month this year. In September, Cripple Creek gaming revenues fell 10.3 percent to $12.8 million compared to the same month in 2007, according to the state Division of Gaming. Statewide, gaming revenue was off 18.7 percent in September and 11.4 percent for the year to date.

Source: Hotel Online. Link.

The pub group said it made a pre-tax loss of £80.2m in the year to August 23, down sharply from a profit of £304.7m a year ago.

To strengthen its business, Punch wants to sell about 500 less profitable pubs.

The group’s share price has fallen 80% over the past year as a result of concerns about the firm’s financial position.

This was “brought about by the change in the consumer market following the first full-year of the smoking ban” and “a weakened consumer environment,” Punch said.

Source: BBC News.  Link

Psychiatric units are experiencing major problems with implementation of the NHS smoking ban. Although this was implemented in other parts of the NHS last year, there was a delay until July 1 this year for psychiatric units in recognition that they would face specific difficulties.

Despite the additional time to prepare, a number of unforeseen consequences of the ban have occurred. Most alarmingly, the frequency of “small” fires on psychiatric units has increased sharply. At the mental health trust where I work, the frequency of fires has quadrupled since the start of the ban, from about one fire every two months to two fires a month. At the same time the sensitivity of smoke detectors on psychiatric wards at our trust has been reduced in an attempt to reduce the number of “false alarms” triggered by smoking in enclosed areas and unnecessary calls to the fire brigade.

The increase in the number of fires is thought to be the result of patients no longer being supervised smoking in a “smoking room” and instead resorting to smoking in their bedrooms and the toilets. Whereas previously patients’ cigarettes would either be lit by staff or from a wall-mounted lighter, there is now widespread possession of lighters and matches by patients, and patients are easily able to circumvent body searches.

On October 15, a fire at Camlet Lodge secure psychiatric unit in north London caused an estimated £60m of damage and the evacuation of 60 patients to another facility; fortunately, no one was injured. Camlet Lodge is a modern purpose-built unit meeting current fire standards. Unfortunately, many psychiatric units are still housed in old Victorian buildings.

Staff in the frontline of implementing the smoking ban are at a loss what to do. Attempts to raise this issue with hospital managers at my trust have not produced any practical solution, as managers feel their hands are tied by the Health Act 2006. Surely it was not parliament’s intention when they passed the smoking ban to cause risk to life and limb. Public debate on this issue is urgently required before there is a significant loss of life in a fire at an NHS psychiatric hospital.

Source: The Guardian.  Link

A temporary ban took effect on Oct. 15 because the council changed its mind too late to prevent a previously approved ordinance from taking effect.

Casino workers said the past 12 days have been great without having to breathe secondhand smoke. But casino operators said revenue has plunged 10 percent or more since.

The second comment gives a good insight into the nanny mind:

Hopefully, Atlantic City’s City Council has the courage to keep the smoking ban in place. Yes, it will cost jobs, taxes and possibly bankrupt some of the weaker joints. So what. Why should dealers and other floor workers be subjected to the health risks of secondhand smoke.

So we’re going to protect them by costing them their jobs?  Brilliant!

Source: NJ.com.  Link

A state agency, which insures the Health Department, has rejected the three claims.

“Just because they lost profit, it doesn’t mean the Health Department is liable,” said Charles E. Jones, director of the state Board of Risk & Insurance Management, which denied the claims earlier this month. “The Health Department is enforcing a statute and ordinance.”

Sheer Fantasy’s video lottery sales dropped 30 percent last month compared to June, the month before the smoking ban took effect. Poker machine sales also were off 60 percent last month compared to September 2007.

Source: Charleston Gazette.  Link

Café turnover dropped by an average 26% and discos by 31% in July and August, compared with the previous summer, according to a survey by the sector.

Source: Dutch News.  Link

The significant drop in business was reported after a study revealed that cafes had seen a 26 percent decline with clubs dropping by 31 percent.

The smoking ban has been blamed for the loss of customers and many establishments say they have had to fire staff.

Earlier this month restaurant owners asked the health ministry to compensate them for losses as a result of the ban.

Source: Brunei News Net.  Link

Laurin Mainprize, landlady of the Britannia, said: “I reckon business is down 40 per cent on last year. Smoking isn’t illegal and people shouldn’t have to stand outside in the cold to smoke. Why can’t we have smoking and non-smoking establishments so people can make up their own minds?

“The local pub’s a dying breed and the ban’s one of the main reasons.”

And customers agree.

Lindsay White, a regular in the Black Swan, said: “My husband’s a smoker and he just won’t come to the pub any more – he says there’s no pleasure if he can’t have a smoke with his pint.”

Source: Scarborough Evening News.  Link