[C-U Smokefree] Restuarant Sales Up After Smo-Free Policy

[Theotskl at aol.com]

Hi there--
This is FYI.  It comes from <www.tobacco.org>.

Cheers,

Theo

Theo Tsoukalas, Ph.D.



Web Source: 
http://www.tribnet.com/opinion/letters/story/4674481p-4628395c.html
Accessed 1/30/2004

The News Tribune - Tacoma, WA    
Home > Opinion > Letters
    Friday, January 30, 2004    

    Smoking ban benefited business in California 

ARTHUR CARDEN; California City, Calif.; 

I write this as a former three-pack-a-day smoker. I've heard all the 
arguments against smoking bans - how they'll harm business and drive customers away. 
That's all nonsense. 

Here in California, this has been a battle fought and won (or lost, depending 
on your view) long ago. Smoking is banned in almost every place open to the 
public, and to date, I've never heard of anyone claiming a loss of business.


In fact, the reverse is true. In almost every business the bottom line has 
improved due to smoking cessation. It was claimed by most bar and restaurant 
owners that their business would decline. It did not. Those places are now far 
more pleasant to patronize, since they no longer smell like the bottom of a huge 
ashtray.


I will concede that too many do-gooders carry this type of thing to extremes. 
There are reasonable limits to everything. Even most restaurants that have 
nonsmoking areas are not capable of providing nonsmokers with a clean-air 
environment for enjoying their meals.


Restaurant and bars can be declared smoke-free without any loss of business. 
There's no place kookier than California, and yet the smoke-free businesses 
here have shown that business improves when tobacco leaves.


The fact is that smoking is now considered by the majority to be unsocial 
behavior.


ARTHUR CARDEN


California City, Calif.
(Published 12:01AM, January 27th, 2004)