Clearing The Air

U.S. unemployment rate increase to a 2 year high, nationwide smoking bans are a serious contributing factor

Jobless Rates Hits 5 Percent, a 2-Year High, Fanning Recession Fears (link)

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Hiring practically stalled in December, driving the nation's unemployment rate up to a two-year high of 5 percent and fanning fears of a recession.

Recent nationwide smoking bans have eliminated approximately 2,000 bars and restaurants:

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

Closer to home, here in Minnesota bans have closed down nearly 300 establishments:

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2007/01/100-bars-and-restaurants-put-out-of.html

In the U.K. smoking bans closed over 3,000 pubs!:

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2009/02/in-uk-during-past-two-years-3382-pubs.html

And if you haven't figured it out by now.......closed businesses, and hundreds of thousands of lost jobs due to smoking ban laws added significantly to the unemployment rate.

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2009/03/worldwide-economic-meltdown-and.html

It would be nice to see the rent seeking pharmaceutical nicotine interests which fund the smoking ban movement held responsible. Specifically Nicoderm manufacturer Johnson & Johnson's private foundation RWJF.

Update: There is something that can be done to eliminate (reverse) the smoking bans which have put tens of thousands of people in the unemployment lines:

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2007/04/new-way-to-reverse-smoking-bans-in-your.html

posted by marcus aurelius @ 7:02 AM