Are these articles true?

[elisabeth]

www.boston.com/ae/food/restaurants/articles/2005/04/04/restaurants_bars_gain_business_under_smoke_ban/

www.bma.org.uk/ap.nsf/Content/smokescreen~Economics

They are a few years old but these links are used to show that smoking doesn't harm pubs on a Dutch forum.

[chris]

They're probably true insofar as some places are doing better, but they leave out all the places that are doing much worse. These articles are more "consent manufacturing" to show that bans are actually good for business. The response is that if they are good, make them voluntary and no business owners will kill the goose that's laying the golden egg by reverting to smoking.

[harleyrider1978]

Ok, the first thing is this.Remember that in boston its the home of the progressives that hate smokers to begin with and also the home of the research centers that create the propaganda behind the bans. Now first and foremost,the bars and restaraunts in boston already had a heavy non-smoking customer base while the few places smokers could go before the ban were limited. Those places where smokers could go are now mostly closed due to no business. If your customer regulars are smokers,thats your bread and butter to start with.Now dont think noin-smokers are gonna run to your tavern or eatery just ecause no-one smokes in it anymore,it just isnt happening..........those places that had a non-=smoker regular customer base were not affected nor did they see any increase because of a ban........no lets even the playing field........how about we change the la to where every place has to be smoking everywhere..........now you just affected the non-smoking businesses in a simular fashion.............fuck it let them stay home for a change dirty basterds.

[Mark]

I can assure you that the situation in irealnd is completly the reverse of the study. nearly 1,700 pubs have now closed since the ban, and the level of smoking and cigarette sales have increased.

[elisabeth]

Mark, can you give me a link, as this anti-smoker keeps coming back with the bma link about Irland. Thanks

[Mark]

I will try to get you some links elisabeth, don't have them at hand just now. What forum are you on ?

[chris]

People who hate smokers (or any other group) aren't progressive, no matter how they portray themselves. The US left really shoots itself in the foot when it buys into these social prejudices, especially since they're always preaching tolerance, diversity and choice. Working class people who might otherwise listen to their ideas turn off when this elitist hypocrisy hits the fan.

[Rockdolphin]

The facts are that since the introduction of the Irish smoking ban , smoking prevalence and sales have increased, thousands of people have lost their jobs as nearly two thousands pubs and clubs have shut for good. There has been other nasty side effects such as an increase in alcoholic off-sales leading to a rise in anti social behavior and domestic violence which recently led to yet another useless ban which is the sale of alcohol from off licenses after 10 O'clock !

[chris]

It's a vicious cycle: the more misbehavior caused by ridiculous prohibitions, the louder the calls for "crackdowns" (a favorite word of US politicians) and more repressive laws. Eventually, something may give, but the self-defeating contradictions of the "War on Drugs" have been known for some time now and little is being done.