The NYC Restaurant and Bar Smoking Ban: One Year Later

Healthy New York
Forums
Events
Polls
Guides

Find-It

Markets & Specialty Shops

Members

Live-It

HLNYC Home > Guides > Scc

Areas of Health

Smoking Cessation Clinic

The NYC Restaurant and Bar Smoking Ban: One Year Later

By: Smoking Cessation Clinic at Columbia University

On March 30, 2004, New York City celebrated the first year anniversary of its smoke-free workplace legislation. A report issued by four city agencies (finance, health, small business, and economic development) has shown that, by multiple measures, the City’s smoke-free legislation has been good for the city and its residents:

Employment in NYC’s restaurant/bar industry is the highest in over a decade.
Tax receipts of restaurants and bars are up 8.7%.
Bar permits and licenses increased by more than 200%.
Air quality in restaurants and bars is significantly better. Levels of cotinine, a metabolite of nicotine, measured in restaurants and bars are down by 85%.
Compliance is high. Inspection of 22,000 establishments revealed that 97% inspected posted NO SMOKING signs, removed ashtrays, and had no one smoking.

These events have led Dr. Thomas Frieden, NYC’s Health Commissioner, to declare the city a healthier place to live. “This confirms what we have thought all along,” said Dr. Lirio Covey of the New York State Psychiatric Institute. “The ban may have actually welcomed back non-smoking patrons who had avoided some restaurants and bars.” Dr. Covey, who continues to see a steady flow of smokers seeking to quit, hopes this news will quell some of people’s earlier fears and encourage would-be quitters to put down that cigarette once and for all.

Smoking Cessation Guide Archive

Warning: Access denied for user: 'healthylivingnyc@209-208-50-128.lhost3.atlantic.net' (Using password: YES) in /home/h/e/healthylivingnyc.com/html/nkads/nkads.conf.php on line 18

Warning: MySQL Connection Failed: Access denied for user: 'healthylivingnyc@209-208-50-128.lhost3.atlantic.net' (Using password: YES) in /home/h/e/healthylivingnyc.com/html/nkads/nkads.conf.php on line 18

Warning: Supplied argument is not a valid MySQL-Link resource in /home/h/e/healthylivingnyc.com/html/nkads/nkads.conf.php on line 19