I'm a native Detroiter [[moving back in the summer). I have worked in restaurants for 20 years [[started as a dishwasher at age 14; I run several in NY now; will be opening my own in Detroit), both in Michigan and New York. I have been in NYC for the last 10 years, and was working as a waiter when the smoking ban went into effect.

I must say, dire predictions to the contrary, virtually all restaurants, and most bars, experienced a boom when the ban was enacted here [[2002, I think). Even though the city was reeling from 9/11, and the economy in NYC was generally poor then, it was discovered that LOTS of people who were choosing to stay in their smoke-free homes began to patronize restaurants and bars more frequently. The monthly diner became the weekly diner. Restaurants, in particular, did well. The bar seats at restaurants became a desirable place- especially for single people- to sit and have dinner. Not grossed out by the smoke, people ate and drank more, lingering longer over another drink. Some people who loathed bars began to go back.

The only "category" of bars to suffer economically from the ban were the places where the customers were mainly a small pool of extreme regulars, who- if they smoked- suddenly felt that they'd rather stay home. A few places shuttered. Most got new customers in their place.

I don't hate smokers, and have no objection to smokers smoking in their own homes. But I think smokers- and I am saying this not as a taunt, but rather to make clear a point- greatly underestimate how repulsive the smoke is to non-smokers. It is not a case of a goody-two-shoes wagging a finger at the perceived deviants. It is a case where most people who would rather be in their second choice location to live, work, or party if the second choice place had clean air.

As a restaurant manager and soon-to-be owner, there are other concerns as well that affect a business, beyond whether or not smoking hurts the customer base. Property, worker's compensation, and employee health insurance are cheaper for businesses that do not permit smoking on premises [[I know because I supervise 3 restaurants with 150 employees). Additionally, there are potentially legit grounds for litigation against an employer for providing an unsafe work environment. There have been- literally- billions of dollars in settlements relating to workplaces that had lead, asbestos, and other substances coming into contact with their staff. And those places generally were unaware of the health affects at the time. Imagine a lawsuit where someone came down with a lung ailment from workplace exposure to smoke. And the business owner was fully aware of the smoke and its potential for harm. That would be devastating to industry.

In the bar and restaurant business, a hefty percentage of the staff are smokers. I have yet to work with a single one who wants the NY ban lifted 7+ years later. They like the cleaner work environment and greater tips. They also like not waking up with a sore throat from working 8-12 hours non-stop in a smoke-filled room.

Some people ask, correctly, that if the benefits of getting rid of smoking are so clear, why didn't most restaurants and bars do it earlier on their own? A very intelligent question. I don't really know why. Inertia, probably; and fear. Too busy to bother to get rid of it; too afraid that they'd lose customers. The NYC restaurant and bar industry has learned that it brings in customers, and costs you not even very many smokers.

The ultimate conclusion I have come to is that the ban is a net benefit for most people, including most smokers [[even the most hard core, 3 pack-a-day smokers) would rather not be in a cloud of smoke 24/7. Five years from now the topic will hardly be mentioned. Some smokers will grumble about stepping outside on a cold day to puff a butt, but then they'll go gladly back inside to eat and drink. Non-smoking in public will emerge as the new normal.

I know I'll get flamed- pun fully intended- for suggesting that the ban is in the end both wonderful and a non-issue with nearly everyone, but it is true. DetroitYes has plenty of real issues to bicker about. This one is settled, as the very near future will show. Congrats, Michigan, on the ban. It makes planning to come home even more exciting.

Mikey