The Marquette Journal

Up and down Water Street, action-packed on weekends and sometimes even weekdays: bars, pubs and restaurants provide much of the reverie and nightlife for downtown Milwaukee. But what would happen if these businesses lost a major portion of their profits and customers, or even worse, ceased to exist?

Those fears are becoming more widespread as the smoking ban in Wisconsin, to go into effect July 5, 2010, approaches. Businesses around Marquette University understand that they have to comply with the ban, but many are taking it with a grain of salt.

“The smoking ban will affect us. A lot of employees smoke too, so we’re going to be affected too. I don’t agree with the ban, but I can definitely see the reasoning behind it,” said Jennifer Fitzgerald, manager at the Water Street Brewery.

The ban, which takes the legislative name “2009 Wisconsin Act 12” stipulates that “smoking will not be allowed in: state or government buildings, taverns, restaurants, hospitals, clinics, multiple-unit residential properties, sports arenas and bus shelters.”

According to a legislative brief, the Act “addresses the growing concern in the state and nationally over the health hazards associated with tobacco use and the effects of secondhand smoke.”

But what exactly are the effects of smoking a cigarette?

Originally believed to have curing effects, science has discovered that smoking tobacco does the exact opposite. According to abovethe-influence.com, “tobacco is the leading preventable cause of disease, disability and death in the United States.”

According to the American Lung Association Web site, “secondhand smoke causes health issues as well as premature death in children and other non-smokers.”

But tobacco proved to be a lucrative business long before the cigarette was ever invented.

According to the Boston University Medical Center’s “History of Tobacco” Web site, the plant helped “finance the American Revolution by serving as collateral for loans the Americans borrowed from France.”

During World War II, cigarette sales were at an all-time high.

However, the harmful effects of tobacco usage, as well as the additive nicotine, were common knowledge before the Surgeon General report was tacked on to packs of cigarettes.

As far back as 1826, scientists concluded that nicotine was a dangerous poison.

It wasn’t until just recently that the government has taken measures to loosen tobacco’s hold on society. Thirty-two states have enacted a smoking ban, including Wisconsin’s neighboring states: Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois.

Wisconsin’s own smoking ban was signed into law last May by Gov. Jim Doyle. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported the story the same day and said that violators of the indoor smoking ban could be fined between $100 and $250. Despite smokers being part of the bar and pub scene population, the article quoted Doyle as saying “smoke-free businesses can thrive.”

Some businesses agree.

“Most people don’t realize this, but Rock Bottom in Minneapolis increased in patronage due to more families coming to our restaurant,” said Jennifer Kotas, manager of Rock Bottom Restaurant in Milwaukee.

Some businesses just flat out hate the idea.

“I don’t agree with it. I’ve been in other cities where it’s been enacted, and they say that it doesn’t affect business, but it does,” said Greg Wittig, vice president of operations at Mo’s Irish Pub.

Some Marquette students are rejoicing at the idea.

“I’m very happy to hear that they’re passing a smoking ban because a lot of people in my family have died from smoking cigarettes,” said Maurice Sharpe, a sophomore in the College of Arts & Sciences. “I understand that people like to smoke and might feel the need to, but they’re probably better off not smoking.”

Although the effects of secondhand smoke and the long-term use of cigarettes have proven to be harmful for smokers and non-smokers, has the time come for businesses to possibly pay the price? Some bar patrons like to smoke. Some smokers like to drink. Almost everyone likes to go out for a night on the town.

Will it become impossible to enjoy all of these simultaneously after July 5, 2010? Will business ultimately be harmed or helped? Businesses are either eagerly awaiting the change or holding their breath and hoping that they don’t go up in smoke.

Tags: ban, bars, chicago, gov. jim doyle, government, illinois, iowa, jim doyle, law, milwaukee, nicotine, pub, smoke, smoke-free, smoking, Smoking Ban, sports arenas, wisconsin, wisconsin act 12

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