Clearing The Air

Sunday, February 08, 2009

In the U.K. during past two years 3,382 pubs have closed since their nationwide smoking ban was enacted

.....so far this year they have been shutting at the rate of one every four hours.

Obviously, the drinks industry is quick to blame the economy for the problems but.......the fact that the one thing you cannot do in a smoking room (now) is smoke. There’s no doubt that this has had a profound effect on the licensing trade, and David Cameron must make it a top priority to overturn the ban the moment he takes office. In the meantime, however, publicans must stop whining and carefully study the antismoking rule book to find a loophole.
The rest of the Times Online article can be found online here.

The story is a tale of the tragic truth that occurs when government meddling interferes with free market trade. Pharmaceutical nicotine (Nicoderm) manufacturer Johnson & Johnson Company with their partner RWJF funded lobbyists to pursue a smoking ban agenda in order to increase product sales & profits, lawmakers were happy to oblige for their own selfish reason; primarily they and their constituents; were tired of smelling like smoke....on the rare event that they actually frequented a smoking establishment.

Now however, the world economy is feeling the effects of this rent seeking legislation (smoking bans). Mainstream media of course would never report the turn of events (smoking bans) which preceeded and actually caused our current economic crisis but the Times Online article is a good first step. If lawmakers do not learn from their mistakes (and the bans have been a colossal mistake) they are certainly doomed to repeat them over and over causing misery and economic gloom for all the foreseeable future.

More information on pub closures as provided by Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC)

Non-smoking customers can't make up for liquor losses due to smoking bans.