http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/conte...j;328/7446/977
Heart attacks drop after smoking ban in Helena, Montana...

http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content...ct/281/20/1911
Journal of the American Medical Association study finds smoke-free ordinances do not appear to adversely affect, and may increase, tourist business...

http://stlouisfed.org/publications/r...smokebans.html
No substantial revenue change in Maryville, Missouri, that well-known haven for quiche-eating yuppies...

http://tc.bmjjournals.com/cgi/data/11/4/DC1/1
Why the "studies" differ according to who's funding them.

Actually... I concur. Smoking is bad and not smoking is healthier. This has nothing to do with the effects of the bad on the economy or employment. I'm for a restaurant ban...just not a bar ban.

They measured hotel rates, not bars, nor restaurants, and not tax revenues. We aren't speaking about tourism or hotels. We are talking about the impact on Bars and Dining in Philadelphia. Hotels are only a factor of a city's tourism ability...not prevailing activity.

They say it themselves...

In evaluating the economic effects of smoking bans, the focus of policy-makers is often directed toward considering the overall effects of smoking bans on business in a community.1 The consensus view of these studies is that no definitive impact can be ascertained. Economic activity in some communities appears to decrease; others seem to experience an increase over time. However, the statistical significance of these findings is often weak or lacking.

and for the increase...

An investigation of local business developments in Maryville turned up one important event that is relevant to the analysis: the opening of a new Applebee’s in Maryville in February 2004. According to local news reports, the Applebee’s franchise has been a phenomenal success.5 Maryville is a fairly small town, with a resident population of 11,000. It has only 37 restaurants and bars. It is quite conceivable that the opening of a new, popular restaurant chain outlet would have a significant independent effect on the Maryville data.



Yeah this one says the same thing...depending on your desired outcome you can make the report say whatever you want..


Here's another good summary...when all the bar owners say one thing...it's going to be true...especially when those that show "increase" after ban always leave out data for bars...(not surprising)

REDERICTON, NB, Dec. 9 /CNW/ - New Brunswick's smoking ban is having a
negative impact on the province's bars, pubs, taverns, legions and nightclubs,
with 71% reporting a sharp decline in liquor sales during the first month of
the ban, which took effect October 1, 2004.
The result is from a comprehensive survey sent by the Canadian Restaurant
and Foodservices Association (CRFA) to liquor-licensed establishments across
New Brunswick, including restaurants, bars, pubs, legions, nightclubs,
billiard halls, bowling alleys and private clubs. The association received
223 completed surveys evenly split among licensed restaurants (32.5%), pubs
and bars (34.0%), and other licensed establishments (33.5%) including
nightclubs, legions, bowling alleys and billiard halls. With a sample of this
size, the results are considered accurate to within (+/-) 7.0 percentage
points, 19 times out of 20.
The smoking ban is having a devastating impact on the small businesses
that dominate the pub, bar, tavern and nightclub sector of the hospitality
industry. Fully 79% of drinking establishments report the smoking ban is
having an impact and 71% say the impact is negative. Pubs, bars and taverns
report an average decline in liquor sales of 23.9% in October compared to a
year earlier, nightclubs a decline of 34.5% and legions a decline of 18.8%.
The frustration felt by many New Brunswick hospitality business owners is
highlighted by written comments on many of the completed surveys:

"Had I known that the government was going to cut my business
in half, I wouldn't have spent $45,000 on renovations."
(Lounge, Moncton)

"Customers are staying home rather than standing outside."
(Pub, Miramichi)

"Many customers now eat and run, leaving to smoke in their vehicles
instead of staying to have a second beverage."
(Pub, Saint John)

"My restaurant has been non-smoking for three years but less customers
are coming to the bar before or after eating."
(Restaurant & Bar, Grand Bay)

"Where are all the non-smokers who said that they would go out to eat
more often if there weren't any smoke?"
(Bar & Grill, Campbellton)

"Well ventilated smoking rooms should be allowed."
(Bowling Alley, Cap-Pele)

"We have New Brunswick's biggest native reserve 4 kilometres away
where smoking is allowed. My liquor sales are down 40%."
(Bar, Richibucto)

"I had to hire two more bouncers for cigarette surveillance."
(Nightclub, Grand Falls)

"Our business has seriously declined. The smokers say that instead
of being forced outdoors they would prefer to drink their beer at
home where they can smoke."
(Bar, St. Francois)

"Bar sales are suffering the most. Food sales are off and didn't
increase as critics suggested."
(Restaurant & Bar, Saint John)

"Liquor sales are off 75%. I will be forced to close if smoking ban is
not lifted."
(Bar, Burnt Church)

"Help!"
(Pub, Fredericton)


The survey reveals that the impact of the smoking bans is substantially
different for restaurants than it is for pubs, bars, taverns and nightclubs.
An even 50.0% of restaurants report no impact from the smoking ban, with many
noting they voluntarily stopped smoking in their dining rooms before the
legislation was introduced. Another 15.2% of restaurants say the ban is
positive for business, while 22.7% say it is hurting sales and 12.1% aren't
sure whether or not the smoking ban is having an impact.
New Brunswick's smoking ban was rushed through the provincial legislature
earlier this year without public hearings. "The industry presented a
comprehensive plan that would have protected customers and employees from
exposure to second-hand smoke while mitigating the impact on small business,"
says Luc Erjavec, CRFA's Vice President, Atlantic Canada. "The government
chose to ignore a reasonable solution with the result that businesses are
suffering and job losses are resulting from this heavy-handed legislation."
The CRFA advocates indoor air quality standards that protect customers
and employees from exposure to second-hand smoke. The provinces of Nova
Scotia, PEI, and British Columbia, together with scores of municipalities like
Calgary and Toronto, permit properly ventilated designated smoking rooms
(DSRs) which have saved many small businesses from bankruptcy.

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Of course after you force the smokers outside you're going to have neighbors complaining about the noise of people talking late at night outside the bar.

It doesnt matter one way or the other what the studies say. The ban should be struck down as unconstitutional since these are all private establishments. No one is forcing you to work or frequent any of these establishments.

FWIW, it was 13th and Sansom.

There are few, if any dealers working Chestnut... foot traffic at night is limited to people parking their cars and running to Sansom, Walnut and Spruce.

Almost all the dealing in this hood eminates from an epicenter--the Parker Spruce Hotel. I frequent all the bars here (straight and gay). The gay dealers usually go in/out of the bars, they have been here a long time and it's part of the ugly underbelly of the gay scene. Can't really think of any gay ghetto anywhere on the planet that doesn't have somebody living in it with "the hookup" if you know what I mean.

13th, Juniper and Pine though also have West Philly dealers who come in off the El and stick around until after Pure lets out. The pimp that was hustling me last evening was a WP boy.

There really isn't that much excitement on Chestnut during the day. Only until after 8PM does this zone start to get a bit crazy.

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WHYY pays their CEO $750,000 a year. So WHYY should I renew my membership? Seems they have no problems finding money and spending it unwisely.


And this is why you should donate to PACCA, not PETA:

In September, PETA made headlines in Vermont and across the nation for asking Ben & Jerry's ice cream to use human breast milk in their ice cream, instead of cow milk

I thought transit didn't enable crime..

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