Smokefree New York City -- One Year Later

Restaurant/Bar Employment Highest in Over a Decade

 

New York City, March 30, 2004-- Today, New York City celebrated its one year anniversary of smokefree workplace legislation.  By every measure, the City's 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):

• Employment in NYC's restaurant/bar industry is the highest in over a decade
• Business tax receipts in restaurants and bars are up 8.7%
• Bar permits/licenses are up by 234
• Bar/restaurant air quality is significantly better (cotinine pollution levels are down 85%)
• 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)

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg indicated that he was pleased by the positive economic results, but stressed that the law was passed to protect workers from a known Group A carcinogen (i.e. a substance known to cause cancer in humans).

 

 

Joseph W. Cherner
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful citizens can change the
world.  Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."    Margaret Mead