New Michigan smoking ban spurs debate about its economic impact

The news provoked an uneven reaction among smokers, nonsmokers, restaurants and health activists.

Chuck Ghawi, owner of Maison-Edwards Tobacconist in Ann Arbor’s Nickels Arcade, whose business is not directly impacted by the bill, said the move was still invasive.

“I think it’s a far-reaching, intrusive step by government, especially during these hard economic times,” Ghawi said. “Let the market decide. Let the owners of the businesses decide.”

Still, the smoking ban earned heaps of praise from consumers tired of trying to dodge cigarette smoke at the bar or at a family restaurant. Some 66 percent of Michigan residents said they favored the ban in a poll conducted in March.

Activists like Judy Stewart, spokeswoman for the Campaign for Smokefree Air and director of state government relations for the Great Lakes Division of the American Cancer Society, were ecstatic.

Stewart said people who work in restaurants where smoking is allowed are 50 percent more likely to develop lung cancer.

“The majority of Michigan workers will have a smoke-free work environment, and there will be less cases of cancer, asthma, heart disease. The list goes on and on,” Stewart said. “Second-hand smoke is a real killer and a real disease cause in our state, so this is huge.”

Michigan, whose ban will take effect in May, joins 37 states with similar laws.

Drew Christensen, a University of Michigan student, said it was strange to see smoking in restaurants after living in California, where it’s banned.

“It was kind of weird to have that not be the case here,” he said.

The ban’s approval touched off a debate among proponents and opponents over how the new law would affect Michigan’s economy.

“Overall this is going to be great for business because the majority of the population doesn’t smoke,” Stewart said. “More of them will stay out longer, and they’ll spend more money.”

But Andy Deloney, a spokesman for the Michigan Restaurant Association, which lobbied against the ban, argued that restaurants would suffer from the new legislation. He said more than 1/3rd of Michigan’s 9,600 restaurants had already disallowed smoking.

“It does nothing to help the state of Michigan,” he said. “Michigan leads the nation in unemployment. We’re last in the nation in things like income growth. We’ve got about as bad of a business climate as you can have in the country. The actions of the House and the Senate (Thursday) add more burdens and mandates and restrictions on the backs of business owners.”

Ann Arbor resident Louis Dickinson, puffing a cigarette outside the Michigan Theatre on Friday, said he was disappointed by the ban.

“It’s inconvenient, but I’m not that upset about it,” Dickinson said. “I don’t think it’s going to affect when and where I go out.”

Health activists praised the ban, calling it long overdue and a major boost to the health of restaurant workers and patrons.

“For all intents and purposes it’s the single greatest thing we can do to improve the health of Michigan residents,” said Sharon Sheldon, Washtenaw County’s program manager for health promotion and disease management.

Sheldon rejected the suggestion that the state’s economy would suffer a blow due to the ban’s approval.

“It hasn’t hurt restaurants in any other place where this has been done,” she said. “They have their head in the sand if they think it’s something that’s going to hurt business. It’s a change for businesses, and people will get used to it.”

Restaurants in Ann Arbor responded to the news with mixed feelings.

Josh Evans, bar manager for Saline’s Brecon Grille, said the restaurant couldn’t risk banning smoking while its competitors allowed it. He said he doesn’t anticipate a drop in sales after the ban takes effect.

“If it’s a blanket policy that’s going to affect all bars and restaurants, it’s not going to take the wind out of our sails,” Evans said.

But Fleetwood Diner’s Lilly Dmiri said the 24-hour establishment relies heavily on customers who eat there particularly because smoking is allowed.

“I think it’s going to have a impact,” she said. “For me I’m the only one here pretty much who doesn’t smoke.”

Gary Wheelock, manager of downtown restaurant Arbor Brewing Company, said sales dipped briefly after the restaurant disallowed smoking Aug. 5.

“Still, it came right back to where it was before,” he said. “Eventually they just decided to come back and hang out here, because they like our beer and they like our servers. I don’t think there's a lot of negative effect from it.”

Wheelock praised the Senate’s move and said the ban would benefit the state.

“I completely see it as a positive thing,” he said. “It’s a healthier environment for our servers, everyone at a restaurant, to work in. It discourages people from smoking, which is a very destructive behavior. When you smoke, everyone around you smokes.”

Contact AnnArbor.com’s Nathan Bomey at (734) 623-2587 or nathanbomey@annarbor.com. You can also follow him on Twitter.