Public sentiment moves toward supporting smoke-free restaurants

New York City:

- Of the 29,361 diners polled, 96 percent are either dining out “as often” or “more often” since the smoking ban was introduced last April.

- Specifically, 23 percent said they were eating out more and 73 percent said they were eating out at previous levels.

- Restaurant openings outnumbered closings by a 2-1 ratio.

Source – Zagats

- A recent Gallup Poll shows that 52 percent of Americans believe secondhand smoke is “very harmful.”

- The survey found that the narrowest gap in public preferences is recorded for restaurants, in which, 52 percent favor setting aside areas for smoking while 44 percent say a total ban is in order.

Source – Gallup Polling

Helena, Mont.:

- Citizens of Helena voted to ban smoking in all public places. Six months later the state Legislature rescinded the ban.

- During the six month ban, heart attack rates dropped by 58 percent. Once the ban was lifted, the heart-attack rate went back to previous levels.

Source – Associated Press & NY Times

Sacramento, Calf.:

- In 1990, both the city of Sacramento, California, and the suburban county surrounding it passed identical smoke-free restaurant measures.

- The measure passed in the city, but not the county. For two years, the smoke-free city was completely encircled by suburbs with no restrictions.

- If smokers fled city restaurants for county restaurants city restaurant revenues would decline and county restaurant revenues would pick up.

- The changing city/county ratio, before and after, would jump out even if the restaurant business overall rose or fell.

- The ratio didn’t change. Diners stayed put. Tax receipts showed smokers did not leave smoke-free Sacramento city for smoking Sacramento County, even when they so easily could.

- The first chance they had, county voters ratified a smoke-free restaurant measure by 56 percent despite a costly pro-smoking campaign run by the Sacramento Restaurant and Merchant Association.

Source – University of California