NY ban is successful, popular and profitable
Pity he failed to tell your readers about the links between his organisation and the tobacco industry (www.tobaccoscam.org).
For the record, New York city has just celebrated the first anniversary of its smoke-free workplace legislation.
By every measure, the law has been good for health, good for business and popular with residents. Here are the highlights of a report issued by four city agencies (finance, health, small business, and economic development):
1. Employment in NYC’s restaurant/bar industry is the highest in over a decade.
2. Business tax receipts in restaurants and bars are up 8.7%.
3. Bar permits/licenses are up by 234.
4. Bar/restaurant air quality is significantly better (cotinine pollution levels are down 85%).
The popularity of the law is higher than that of the New York Yankees. Compliance is almost 100% (97% of 22,000 establishment inspected had posted no-smoking signs, removed ashtrays and had no one smoking).
Whilst one can be pleased with these positive economic results, nevertheless the law, both in New York and here in Ireland, was passed to protect workers from a known serious environmental pollutant.
Dr Fenton Howell,
ASH Ireland,
5, Northumberland Road,
Dublin 2.
