Clean air brings more restaurant patrons

Many restaurants report steady or rising business after state bans smoking
indoors

By Joseph Gidjunis
Staff Writer

SALISBURY -- Local restaurant owners said business is keeping steady, if not
improving, despite fears that a statewide smoking ban implemented Feb. 1 would
alienate loyal patrons who wanted to take a drag with their meal.

Zia's Italian Grill of Salisbury owner Alex Bubas said he's received few
complaints from smokers, and the tables formerly in his smoking section are
being filled more often.

"It's full all of the time, compared to when it was smoking. It's like I have
six more tables to seat," Bubas said. "Everybody is happy, even the people who
smoke aren't complaining much. They just resolved themselves to the fact that
this is inevitable and they smoke outside."

Nearly all of indoor Maryland transferred to a smoke-free environment after the
2007 state legislature approved the Maryland Clean Indoor Air Act. The bill
prohibits smoking in public meeting places, public transportation vehicles and
indoor places of employment. At least 24 other states have full or partial bans.

Market Street Inn General Manager Howard Bunting said late-night business is
down a little, but more people are open to dining at the downtown pub. Customers
have told him they couldn't dine before the ban because they had a medical
condition like asthma or hated the odor.

"Everything is going great. Business has been very well in the bar," the
Salisbury restaurant owner said. "The late night crowd has thinned out a little
bit, but I think it will come back around once they realize this is just the way
it is."

Bunting said he is contemplating adding an overhang at the Inn for smokers, but
he's going to wait to see how business continues before making the investment.

The Daily Times story, which ran before the ban, generated many opinions on the
DelmarvaNOW.com Story Chat feature. Some supported the ban.

"Well, it's about time that nonsmokers can breathe in cool fresh air. This law
should have happened decades ago. Hopefully (Maryland Gov. Martin) O'Malley next
year will raise taxes again on smokers," one comment read.

Others demonized it.

"All you sad people celebrating the latest incursion on personal and social
freedom: I hope you don't enjoy alcohol, or 'unhealthy' food, or perfume and
cologne, or a wood fire, or loud music, or any of a number of things that make
life pleasant that will be next on the chopping block. Don't say you weren't
warned," one writer chided.

State health authorities said they're happily surprised by a lack of complaints
about the ban. Health Secretary John Colmers told a panel of lawmakers Friday
that he's not aware of any complaints of bars or restaurants not complying with
the law.

"February first came and went, and the world did not come to a crashing halt,"
Colmers said. "For the most part it was successfully implemented, and I suspect
there will be no great change ... and business may improve."

Colmers told reporters that while noncompliance complaints would go to local
authorities, not his agency, he wasn't aware of any problems across the state
implementing the ban lawmakers approved last year.

"I think the world will be a better place because of it," Colmers said.

Restaurant industry officials who opposed the ban's passage said there have been
no problems with bars and restaurants not complying. The law requires them to
remove ashtrays and post no-smoking signs, and they could be fined for allowing
smoking. But people in the industry say it'll be a long time before they know
whether the ban is hurting business.

"We won't know for a while," said Charity Seyfferth, a manager at Red Hot & Blue
barbecue restaurant in Annapolis. "We're always slow this time of year, anyway,
so we'll see when it warms up what happens."

Delaware passed its Clean Indoor Air Act in 2002, and the following year,
residents were surveyed about the change. More than nine out of 10 people
surveyed said they were as or more likely to go to restaurants, and 89 percent
said they were more likely to go to bars than before the regulations, according
a fact sheet from the Maryland Department of Health & Mental Hygiene.

Several Maryland counties, including Montgomery, went smoke free in restaurants
in 2003. The following year, restaurant sales increased by 7 percent, or $2
million. Less than 20 percent of Marylanders say they are regular smokers, and
between 1998 and 2006, smoking declined 21 percent, according to DHMH.

At Pat Scott's Break Time Sports Grill & Pub in Salisbury, the changes are
expected to improve profits.

"We've had no problem. People have been using the outside heaters. As long as
everyone has been doing it, we'll be good," said Kim Scott.


a.. The Associated Press contributed to this story.