ClearWay Minnesota funds "new study" to deceive lawmakers -"smoking bans didn't harm hospitality industry in MN"
However, the "study" somehow overlooks the 327+ Minnesota bars and restaurants which closed after smoking bans were enacted here, eliminating 10,000+ jobs. (in a typical year before the bans only 14 establishments closed annually)Important to note is that the majority of the unprecedented massive number of establishment closings occurred prior to 2007, so state of the economy was not an issue. As a matter of fact the effect of the bans was the most significant contributing factor to local job losses, home foreclosures and our current dismal economic situation:
http://cleanairquality.
Additionally, ClearWay MN; formerly MPAAT; (which funded this 5/18/09 study) conducted their own survey in 2006 that showed bans eliminated up to 80% of the customers in 7 out of 10 bars and restaurants after smoking bans were enacted. (see links below)
http://cleanairquality.
http://cleanairquality.
http://cleanairquality.
It astounds me how the Ohio authors could have missed the hundreds of boarded up, closed hospitality establishments that line nearly every major city block here.....but then conducting the "study" from Ohio probably prevented the "freedom to breathe" blight from clouding their view.
Maybe lawmakers will begin to repeal these arbitrary and onerous special interest (Nicoderm funded) smoking ban laws .....We could call these repeal bills "freedom to work" laws.
Update: The aforementioned study's author Liz Klein responded to CTA's posting as follows:
If you read the release, you'll note that our study used employment in hospitality businesses, not business closure. In addition, the research was conducted during 2003 to 2006.
So the answer is no, the study did not take into account the 327+ hospitality closings and estimated 10,000 job losses after smoking bans were enacted here. But even more important, the study ended long before Minnesota's statewide smoking ban even went into effect. Therefore, this "study" cannot purport to measure the effect of smoking bans on hospitality employment....it was merely old, irrelevant propaganda pure and simple.
By the way, ties between smoking ban benefactor -Nicoderm interests at RWJF and ClearWay MN (formerly MPAAT) can be found here.
posted by marcus aurelius @ 7:35 PM
"Though we may not be able to protect your business property rights, we certainly support your Second Amendment Rights" 
