The air finally is clearing in bars, restaurants and clubs, a year after a state law was enacted to ban smoking in public places. “I’m sure a lot of bars have lost business over that,” said Lola Nobilese, referring to the Pennsylvania Clean Indoor Air Act. Nobilese, who manages Mulligan’s Clubhouse Grille in Harmar, added, “There are a lot of people who say that they come because they can smoke downstairs.” &# ... Jump to full article >>

Claim made that 9,891 signatures on petitions are invalid PIERRE Ð Opponents of South Dakota’s new state law banning smoking in bars, casinos and restaurants that serve alcohol might not get the chance to put the issue to a statewide vote after all. That’s because the leader of South Dakota’s anti-tobacco movement filed a last-hour challenge to their referendum petitions Thursday. The referendum petitions had prevented the ban ... Jump to full article >>

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – An attorney for an Omaha pool hall isn’t discouraged after a judge rejected his request to suspend enforcement of a statewide indoor smoking ban. Ted Boecker (BECK-ur) said this week’s ruling isn’t a final determination and Big John’s Billiards will continue to try and prove the law is unconstitutional. A judge has yet to rule on his request to throw out the law altogether. Boecker had filed the r ... Jump to full article >>

Megan posted earlier asking how a libertarian economist might respond to the claim of a market failure for non-smoking bars not cropping up on their own. She theorizes that this must occur because bar owners would not want to alienate the large, profitable customer base that smokes. This explanation, however, does satisfy those who believe efficient markets should have produced smokeless bars through non-smoker demand. I’d have a few sugge ... Jump to full article >>

BATON ROUGE — The Senate overwhelmingly agreed to legislation this morning that would expand Louisiana’s smoking ban to include bars and casinos. The 22-10 vote on Senate Bill 186 by Sen. Rob Marionneaux Jr., D-Livonia, came after lawmakers rejected two attempts to weaken the legislation and sets up a showdown on the House floor, where a similar bill awaits a vote. Marionneaux said the bill is designed to “put everyone on an eq ... Jump to full article >>

A pending ban on smoking in bars and restaurants has met mixed local reaction, with smokers feeling discrimination while non-smokers say they are being protected from secondhand smoke. Beginning Jan. 2, 2010, smoking will be prohibited in bars and restaurants that are open to the public. Though nearly 80 percent of Watauga County restaurants had already voluntarily enforced such a restriction, now business owners face penalties if they let custo ... Jump to full article >>