Home » Green » Nebraska is Latest Smoke Free State

Nebraska is Latest Smoke Free State

  • Susan
  • June 5, 2009
The No Smoking sign, designed by one of the me...
No Smoking in Nebraska

Since New York City passed its landmark smoking ban in 2003, more than half the states either have prohibited smoking in bars and restaurants, or will by the end of the year.  Nebraska is the latest state to enact a no-smoking ban.  On June 1, the Clean Indoor Air Act went into effect, banning smoking in almost all eating and drinking establishments, as well as almost every other indoor venue.

Perhaps that’s why business was brisker than usual this past weekend at bars and restaurants, as patrons took advantage of their last opportunity to light up and inhale, while enjoying their loaded lasagna or triple chili bacon cheeseburgers.

Nebraskans won’t have many options if they wish to continue smoking while eating and drinking.  Neighboring Iowa, to the east, has been smoke-free for 11 months.  South Dakota is getting ready to rid restaurants of smoking staring next month.  The only exemptions from the Nebraska law includes some hotel rooms, tobacco-only retailers, facilities that do research on the health effects of smoking and private homes.  A bill exempting cigar bars from the ban has been signed by Governor Dave Heineman,  and will go into effect this September.

“This is a fantastic day for Nebraska,” said Dr. Joann Schaefer,  Nebraska’s chief medical officer, in an interview with KETV.  “We are now smoke-free. And I hope everyone is smelling the air and enjoying their food and really taking a moment to celebrate this.”

Schaefer says 82 percent of Nebraskans were in favor of the smoking ban and hopes this legislation will motivate smokers to break their habit.

Bar owners are nervous about the future, wondering if the ban will affect their businesses. Well over 50 percent of bar patrons currently enjoy lighting up. They also are unhappy about what they see as a government intrusion into personal choice.

Since a smoking ban went into effect in neighboring Iowa, there have been claims that business has declined at many eateries.  Bar owner Rhonda Capron of Rhonda’s Speakeasy in Sioux City, told KCAU-TV that she experienced a drop in business, though she’s not sure if that decline is because of the ban or because of the downturn in the economy.

Capron has added incentives in the past year, such as more live entertainment and food specials to get patrons coming in. She also opened an outdoor patio and has been sharing her marketing ideas with Nebraskans, who will be finding out first hand how the ban affects them.

“You just have to hang in there and hope that your customers hang in there with you,” Capron told KCAU-TV. “They don’t have anywhere to go so they’re either going to go to the bars or stay home. So let’s just hope that they come out a little bit and patronize us and we have to let them know that we really appreciate their business.”

If you take an historical look back at states that enacted smoking bans, an analysis shows that although there may be an initial decline in business as patrons get used to the new rules, the regulars begin to trickle back within a matter of weeks, with business at or exceeding pre-ban levels.  This is what Nebraska bar and restaurant owners are hoping will happen, as they nervously count the number of diners and drinkers entering their doors.

And just in case anyone isn’t clear why this legislation was passed, consider the following benefits that businesses will reap because of the smoking ban:

  • Decreased maintenance costs
  • Increased lifespan of equipment, such as carpeting and furniture
  • Potentially lower health, life and disability insurance rates

Plus, bar and restaurant owners can take pride knowing that they’re protecting their employees and customers from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke.  And isn’t that the greatest benefit of all?

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments