Smoke Free is Good for Business

Breathe Easy Kirksville is Good for Business

Many studies have proven that refraining from smoking or breathing smoke can be very beneficial to one’s health. Eliminating second hand smoking can be extremely good for a population. Second hand smoke is worse for someone than normal smoking because the toxins are filtered in a cigarette. However, banning smoking from local businesses and restaurants can be extremely beneficial to business also. In the towns that have voted to be smoke free, business has actually increased and profits have increased.
One of the strongest and most contentious smoke free ordinances in the country occurred in March of 2003. New York City completed the process and voted to become smoke free. One year after the law went into effect, tax receipts from local businesses increased by 8.7 percent, or approximately $1.4 million. No evidence was found suggesting that businesses were closing due to the smoke free ordinance and it was found that more businesses were opening during the time. This study shows that a smoke free ordinance can be very beneficial. Other studies comparable to this one have shown similar results in other states around the nation.
Recently, the first Missouri city implemented a smoke free ordinance. This gives the opportunity to study the effects of a smaller city and the effects of a smaller city in Missouri. When compared with the year before the ordinance, the year after the ordinance showed that retail sales in Maryville increased by 5.7 percent. Also, Maryville eating and drinking place sales were up 11.4 percent. This is more than double the normal increase for the increase for similar areas in the state without a smoke free ordinance.
The facts clearly show that a smoke free ordinance can help business. A business is likely to receive more patrons if they are not worried about breathing smoke the entire time that they are out. Businesses do not need to worry about paying for machines that filter out smoke and do not have to worry about the damages that result from smoke. The studies show that a smoke free ordinance can work in Missouri and will help to build a better economy in the process.