Economist at the Federal Reserve declares smoking bans have a negative impact on the economy

The article is found online here.

Excerpt:

ST. LOUIS, MO (2008-01-24) An economist with the Federal Reserve Bank in St. Louis says that the economic impact of smoking bans may be more significant than previously thought.

Here in Minnesota we've chronicled 151+ closed establishments, with outstate sources telling us two days ago about another 13 unconfirmed closings in the western part of the state.

We've also documented unemployment data in the Twin Cities which shows the job losses specific to the hospitality industry:

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2007/05/minnesotas-unemployment-rate.html

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2007/10/mn-smoking-bans-continue-closing-bars.html

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2007/09/star-tribune-story-tells-of-economic.html

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2007/08/smoking-bans-and-organizations-that.html

Across the country the negative effects are being multiplied.....the results are the same where ever bans are implemented:

http://www.smokersclub.com/banloss3.htm

Yet, the justification for the workplace bans continues to be proven unnecessary by sound scientific air quality testing:

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2007/11/johns-hopkins-air-quality-testing-of.html

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2007/04/bmj-published-air-quality-test-results.html

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2004/04/american-cancer-society-test-results.html

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2006/02/air-quality-testing-and-secondhand.html

(Thanks to Vince Harden for the story alert)