Smoke-free restaurant

A smoke-free restaurant is a dining establishment in which smoking is banned. These restaurants are increasing in number due to the growing awareness across the world of the need to protect both employees and clients against exposure to secondhand smoke.

Relative to quitting: "One of the biggest barriers to quitting smoking is being around smoke," said the Ohio chapter's American Cancer Society Health Promotions Manager - Marianne Beard. Marianne Beard provides information on various aspects of keeping areas smokefree.

Arguments in Support
Proponents of smoke-free restaurants cite the following as benefits to barring smoking in dining establishments:


 * Reduction of heart disease deaths. Medical research demonstrates that second hand tobacco smoke causes 35,000 to 40,000 excess deaths per year in the U.S. alone.
 * Research suggests that the thought of more smoke-free restaurants is attracting patrons. A study in New York reports that 96 percent of those surveyed are dining out "as often" or "more often" since a smoking ban was enacted for restaurants.
 * Results in a multitude of benefits for the management and safety of the restaurant, including decreasing the sick time of employees, limited liability of harm to employees and patrons, and decreased risk of fire hazards.
 * Results in reduction of carbon monoxide, a contaminant present in tobacco smoke. Increased levels of carbon monoxide has been shown to cause headache, chest pain, alteration of blood pressure and nausea
 * Reduction in Workers Compensation claims and fire insurance premiums.
 * Reduction in synergistic adverse impacts in some locations that also have other environmental exposure health risk factors such as noise pollution and light pollution.
 * More customer rotation as people do not loiter in the restaurant.

Worldwide Status
Europe used to have lesser implementation of smoke-free restaurant laws than Canada and the United States. Per capita rates of smoking are notably higher in Europe than in North America. Smoke-free restaurants have been common in the U.S. since the early 1990s, and many states have passed laws outlawing smoking in all restaurants. Some states, such as Washington, have achieved their smoking ban laws by referendum rather than by legislation. In addition to statewide bans, many large U.S. cities have banned smoking in restaurants. In 2003 New York City amended its antismoking law to include all restaurants and bars, making it one of the toughest in the U.S. The city's Department of Health found in a 2004 study that air pollution levels had decreased sixfold in bars and restaurants after the ban went into effect, and that business was largely unaffected.

Nevertheless, bans on smoking in restaurants and bars are appearing increasingly in many European countries, like Ireland (2004), Italy (2005), Sweden (2005), Norway (2004), and introduction is expected in many more in the near future. The constituent countries of the UK have enacted acts of parliament banning smoking in public places (including restaurants, bars and clubs) within Scotland by 2006, Wales and Northern Ireland by April 2007 and England by summer of 2007; significant fines of up to £2500 can be imposed upon licensees violating the ban, as well as a fifty pound fine on the smoker. In 2003 the New Zealand Parliament passed the Smokefree Environments Amendment Act which eliminates smoking in restaurants and pubs, and also places limits on smoking in other public places. In an interesting follow up study in New Zealand, restaurant patrons did not show a decline, and dining out has actually increased for non-smokers.

A more complete list of smoking bans finds hundreds of jurisdictions have enacted bans on tobacco consumption in a variety of places.

Criticism
Some restaurant owners and patrons as well as some tobacco manufacturers argue that banning tobacco smoking in restaurants deprives smokers of their access to smoking for a period of time. They also argue that restaurant patrons ought to be able to freely choose whether to enter an environment which poses health risks such as heart disease and cancer. Some patrons also suggest that smoking is an attractive adjunct to their dining experience. One British politician has stated it is unfair and inconsistent to allow prisoners to smoke and not allow the general public to smoke in restaurants.

Some others, such as libertarians say that while smoke free restaurants may have economic benefits for the restaurant that the restaurant should be free to choose for itself and should not be forced to ban smoking by the government.

Organizations
American Nonsmokers' Rights Foundation, an organization advocating for smokefree hospitality venues, in addition to other smokefree workplaces and enclosed public places.