[Mpls] Smoking Ban Info: Two Super Resources

[David Brauer]

Peter writes:
>
> There's a good article in this week's City Pages about the proposed=20
> smoking ban.  Ironically enough, the owner of Bryant Lake Bowl, Kim=20
> Bartmann, testified in favor of implementing a ban in Minneapolis,=20
> even though there's been smoking in her establishment.  If the=20
> benefits of the ban are that important to her, then why didn't she=20
> make her business smoke free as soon as she became aware of the=20
> dangers of second-hand smoke, instead of waiting for a law to be=20
> passed?

We mentioned our story on the smoking ban last month.
http://www.swjournal.com/articles/2004/05/14/news/news02.txt

We weren't able to put Bartmann's full explanation in. It gets at why=20
regulation is needed to help businesses do what they want to do (or=20
conversely, why a lack of regulation perpetuates a relatively unpopular=20=

policy.)

Anyway, here's the relevant transcript from the interview:

Kim Bartmann
Q: Is it true you are supportive of the ban?
A; It is true. I would prefer that they passed it at the state level.=20
It is inevitable. It is happening all around the country. It is a=20
health issue.
Q: You have smoking at Bryant Lake Bowl and restricted smoking hours at=20=

Barbetter?
A: Yes. I am nervous about making the Bowl non smoking. Although we are=20=

the only bowling alley in a lot of categories, even nationally, the=20
Bowl is really struggling right now. I can=92t risk what would happen.=20=

That said, any industry stuff that I have read about the smoking ban=20
issue in other communities is that restaurant sales increase when=20
smoking bans take effect.
So I don=92t really understand why the MNLBA is lobbying so hard against=20=

the smoking ban.
Q: MNLBA?
A: The Minnesota Licensed Beverage Association. I am probably not=20
saying it right.
Q: So you would like to do it for the Bowl, except if you did it=20
unilaterally it would hurt your sales but if it was citywide it would=20
actually go up?
A: I wouldn=92t summarize what I said that way. But essentially, I mean,=20=

I believe sales would go up, but I still, because the Bowl as a=20
business is struggling, I can=92t take any risks. If the playing field =
is=20
leveled, I believe everyone will benefit.

David Brauer
Editor, Southwest Journal
Kingfield=