smokefree is good for business
The evidence is clear that smoke-free laws protect health without harming business. Dozens of studies and hard economic data have shown that smokefree laws do not harm sales or employment in restaurants and bars and sometimes have a positive impact.
The Surgeon General’s 2006 Report on The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke examined numerous studies from states and local communities across the country. The report concluded that, “Evidence from peer-reviewed studies shows that smokefree policies and regulations do not have an adverse impact on the hospitality industry.”
Some of the strongest evidence comes from New York City, where a July 2006 report on The Health and Economic Impact on New York’s Clean Indoor Air Act found that, “the law has not had an adverse financial impact on bars and restaurants.” The report examined sales tax receipts from 1999 to 2004 from a sample of vendors who had filed a tax return for each quarter. The analysis showed that, “the CIAA had no apparent effect on sales tax receipts for bars or full service restaurants or on totals from all retailers in New York City or New York State.”
Citation The Health and Economic Impact on New York’s Clean Indoor Air Act, July 2006, New York State Department of Health, Corning Tower, Room 710 Albany, NY 12237-0676
Learn the "Top 10 Myths about Smokefree Indoor Air Laws."
Businesses can get help forming their own smokefree policy at www.workingsmokefree.com