St. Tammany News

Louisiana Smoke-Free Air Act has been in effect for a year

This time last year many local restaurant owners found themselves agonizing over the effects the Louisiana Smoke-Free Air Act would have on their businesses. Against popular belief, most fared well. Spearheaded by the Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living, the Louisiana Smoke-Free Air Act became effective Jan. 1, 2007, prohibiting smoking in most public places and workplaces, including all restaurants that serve food. With St. Tammany Parish boasting copious dining opportunities for citizens, this posed some concern for businesses with active bars like Buffalo Wild Wings and Southside Caf/. But after a year with the ban in place, the effects continue to be positive.

"Implementation of the Louisiana Smoke-Free Air Act has been extremely successful," Carrie Broussard, program manager for Policy and Advocacy for the TFL said. "We continue to get positive feedback."

A poll conducted soon after the law passed showed 81 percent of the registered voters in the region were in favor of removing smoking from public places, and it seems that statistic was mostly accurate concerning food establishments in St. Tammany.

"It's actually had a positive effect on our restaurant," General Manager Chris Legrand of Southside Caf/ in Slidell said. "We were worried about our bar crowd decreasing, but that portion of the restaurant has actually increased, which we're very pleased with."

Legrand attributes the increase to an influx of non-smokers frequenting the restaurant more now that they do not have to endure a smoky dinning room. He also added that business is still strong thanks in part to their strong customer base.

Other restaurants haven't really seen much of a change since the ban.

"There hasn't been any change because it wasn't like we were the only ones that banned it," owner Rooney Salvaggio of Phil's Marina Caf/ in Oak Harbor said. He also admitted that he was not concerned about losing business before the ban took effect.

Some restaurant owners prohibited smoking at their establishments even before the law was passed.

"I put that into effect in 2005, about a year before the ban went into effect," Keith Young of Keith Young's Steakhouse in Madisonville said. "We knocked it out and got nothing but praise. Smokers are realizing that it's becoming the accepted way."

Although his restaurant has a small bar area, Young said it is mainly there to serve as a compliment to the eatery. He also said anyone wishing to smoke can do so in the covered patio area.

While the ban provided positive results for some, other restaurants were not as fortunate.

"In general, our dinner business hasn't really suffered that much," owner Vera Rutledge of Buffalo Wild Wings in Slidell said. "We have seen a difference in our late night bar business because a lot of the service industry would come here when they got off of work because we're open till midnight, but now they go to the bar or daiquiri shop where they can smoke."

Although it hasn't caused a substantial decrease in sales, Rutledge has proposed to add some patio furniture in the front of the restaurant to accommodate anyone who ventures outside for a smoke.

She also expressed her distaste with the specifics of the new law.

"I think it's a little discriminatory that if you serve food, you can't have smoking, but if you have alcohol or if you're a casino, you can still have smoking," she said. She believes that if the state is going to ban smoking, it should ban it completely from any establishment.

Aside from eateries, the new law also affected bowling alleys.

"I don't think the non-smoking ban has improved our business," Gail Wright, general manager of Bowling USA in Slidell and Tiffany Lanes in Mandeville, said. "We've seen a decline in general public bowling because people can't come in and have a beer and a smoke anymore. The people who bowl in leagues just go outside and have a cigarette." Although dismayed over the decrease in day business, Wright considers the law will have a positive outcome for the state in the future, and smokers will have to adjust to "the way of the future."

According to the consensus, indoor air quality has also greatly improved.

"I know personally for me, I don't go home smelling like a cigarette anymore," Legrand said.

According to Broussard, the goal of the TFL is to provide Louisianans with healthier air.

"I think this is extremely positive for the state as far as the number of deaths we'll see from second hand smoke," she said.

She also said her organization is presently conducting a survey of the area to attain specific figures regarding the economic impact the new law has had on the dining industry.

Young feels the state is finally making positive progress toward the future.

"For once we're at the foot of the trend instead of chasing the trend," he said.