JoeCherner-announce

Does the Tobacco Cartel Think We Are Stupid?

I get a lot of email.  Often more than 1,000 emails a day.  Lately, I've been
getting mail from people out of New York saying something like: "Help. Tobacco
interests in our city claim that New York City's recent smokefree workplace law
has caused restaurant revenues to drop by 20-50 percent!  What's going on?"

Let's set the record straight:

1. New York City eliminated smoking in the dining area of restaurants 8 YEARS
AGO!   Smoking was only allowed at the bar (and only if the bar was at least 6
feet away from the dining area).  Recent legislation got rid of the bar
exemption and made all indoor areas of restaurants (as well as all other
workplaces) 100% smokefree.  Restaurants which do not have a bar area (several
thousand in NYC) were not even affected by the new law (i.e. they have been 100%
smokefree since 1995 and will continue to be smokefree).

2. Only about 20% of New Yorkers smoke.  Approximately 80% of New Yorkers do not
smoke.

3. It takes 2 years for sales tax data to become available for New York City
restaurants.

4. After the dining areas of restaurants went smokefree 8 YEARS AGO, tobacco
interests claimed (as usual) that restaurant revenues were down 20-50 percent. 
When sales tax data became available two years later, it showed that restaurants
experienced the greatest boom in New York history.  New York City restaurant
revenues and jobs outpaced all other cities in the state.

5. All polls, including two released this week, show that New Yorkers
overwhelmingly support smokefree workplace legislation.

It is inconceivable that New York City's current smokefree workplace law (which
only affects a small number of restaurant goers who can no longer smoke at the
bar) could possibly cause a 20-50 percent drop in restaurant revenues.  Tobacco
interests are making up stories when they claim that New York City's new
smokefree workplace law has caused restaurant revenues to drop.  It's simply not
true.  Unfortunately, they know that the truth won't be known until sales tax
data becomes available in two years.  In the meantime, they can (and do) make up
whatever they want.  But one would have to be stupid to believe it.

To send a letter in support of NYC's smokefree workplace law, go to
www.smokefree.org/NYC

To send a letter in support of smokefree legislation where you live, go to
www.smokefree.org

Joe

Joseph W. Cherner, President
SmokeFree Educational Services, Inc.
http://www.smokefree.org

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful citizens can change the world. 
Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."       Margaret Mead