Clearing The Air

South Dakota's smoking ban (1 month old) is already causing significant revenue losses for the state, taxpayers, and businesses

CTA visited South Dakota on numerous occasions to warn them of the financial, business, and job losses that would occur if the latest incarnation of their statewide smoking ban was enacted, so I won't say I told you so......I'll let the local South Dakota media tell you the story instead:

http://www.keloland.com/News/NewsDetail6371.cfm?Id=107959

Excerpt:

South Dakota's cash cow is drying up. The state's share of Video lottery is down almost 20 percent since the statewide smoking ban took affect last month. Bar owners say they've seen a drop in business and fear it's only going to get worse.
Bar and casino owners were betting there'd be a loss in revenue if voters passed a statewide smoking ban and according to one bar owner, it's happening. ..."Everybody is down, I've heard numbers anywhere from 10% to 52%, every bar's a little different in what they are down," Don Rose owner of Shenanigans Pub. ..Rose says he knows of a handful of casinos across the state that are either closed or about to close, and points to the statewide smoking ban as the reason. .."This is the strictest ban in the country....."

Mr. Rose, I know what the American Lung Association, Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, American Cancer Society, etc. would say, "Stop being an ingrate, you may soon be poor and out of work, but at least you'll have your health; thanks to our new smoking ban.......and we have $200+ million in lobbying fees from Nicoderm corporate interests at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF)." It's an all too familiar ending everywhere smoking bans have been enacted.

In Minnesota for instance, 500+ bars and restaurants have closed since smoking bans were enacted. In 2004, the last year without a ban, only 14 closed.

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

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

posted by marcus aurelius @ 9:47 PM