Bar Owners Push Amendment To Statewide Smoking Ban

Bar owners are trying to breathe new life into their effort to change New York's smoking ban. On Tuesday, they offered a proposal to state legislators.

“We are not talking about repealing this ban; we are talking about sensibly amending this ban,” said David Rabin of the New York Nightlife Association.

Two trade groups want to allow smoking in bars that install air filters. Owners contend the air will still be clean and their businesses will pick up lost customers.

To help their cause, the groups commissioned a study that found 2,000 jobs have been lost in bars and taverns since the ban went into effect nearly a year ago. But the analysis isn't up to date, because the study isn't based on numbers from 2004.

Supporters of the ban say the number of people working in the industry has actually gone up, and they say air filters are not a good solution.

“People get tricked into staying in environments that are toxic, but they don’t know it,” said Russell Sciandra of the Center for a Tobacco Free New York.

If the amendment is passed, it would have no direct impact on New York City, since the city's own law is stricter than the state's. But bar owners hope it would put pressure on Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the City Council.

But first the state has to give its approval.

Senate and Assembly leaders signaled that they're reluctant to go along with it, and revisiting the issue seems unlikely given all the business still before lawmakers. With just two weeks before the end of session, there's no budget and no sign of when it will get done.
NY1: NY Living