California Restaurants: A Seven Year Smoke Free Sensation.News Editors ROSEVILLE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 19, 2001 The end of 2001 marks the seventh year California restaurants have been smoke free, a feat made even more amazing a·maze v. a·mazed, a·maz·ing, a·maz·es v.tr. 1. To affect with great wonder; astonish. See Synonyms at surprise. 2. Obsolete To bewilder; perplex. v.intr. because the state has the strictest smoking ban in the nation -- one that includes a ban on smoking in bars as well. Currently, virtually all restaurants in California and 90 percent of bars -- the bar ban kicking in three years later in 1998 -- comply with the 100 percent smoke-free law. What's more, California's citizens overwhelmingly support the smoking ban in restaurants, with 94 percent of non-smokers approving of the ban and 73 percent of smokers approving, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. a Field Poll conducted earlier this year. The feared drop in restaurant sales, as a result of the ban, never materialized. During the first five years of the ban California restaurant sales grew at a rate of four to eight percent annually according to state sales tax sales tax, levy on the sale of goods or services, generally calculated as a percentage of the selling price, and sometimes called a purchase tax. It is usually collected in the form of an extra charge by the retailer, who remits the tax to the government. figures. Even the bar ban kicking in three years later didn't slow the pace. Furthermore, in each of these years the growth in California restaurant sales equaled or exceeded those in the rest of the nation. "No matter how you slice it, smoking bans did not hurt restaurant sales in any way, and the health and comfort benefits to customers and employees has been enormous," said Paul McIntyre, president & CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. of the nonprofit group Kids Involuntarily Inhaling Secondhand Smoke sec·ond·hand smoke n. Cigarette, cigar, or pipe smoke that is inhaled unintentionally by nonsmokers and may be injurious to their health if inhaled regularly over a long period. Also called passive smoke. (KIISS KIISS Kids Involuntarily Inhaling Secondhand Smoke ). In the past five years there has been virtually no legislation or public pressure to have the restaurant smoking ban repealed in California. "It's like smoke-free airlines. Once passengers enjoy the dramatic improvement, they never want to allow smoking on airlines again," said McIntyre. He added, "I don't think the whole nation is ready for smoke-free restaurants A smoke-free restaurant is a dining establishment in which smoking is banned. These restaurants are increasing in number due to the growing awareness across the world of the need to protect both employees and clients against exposure to secondhand smoke. yet, but if this ban can be successful in such a large and culturally diverse state as California, I'm certain there are many other states ready to embrace the same workplace benefits." Currently only three other states, Vermont, Maine and Utah, have 100 percent bans on smoking in restaurants. In the rest of the country, there are almost 1,000 local ordinances that address smoking. Anyone interested in more information on helping restaurants become smoke free can obtain a video, pamphlets, or decals about becoming smoke free from KIISS at www.kiiss.org. |
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