New Research: Smoking Bans Do Not Cause Job Losses In Bars, Restaurants

May 20, 2009 10:16 p.m. EST

Columbus, OH (AHN) - New research suggests that smoking bans in bars meant to improve the environmental quality of indoor air don't cause job losses.

In a first of its kind analysis that compared the economic effects of clean indoor policies in multiple cities. Previous research focused on the effects of smoking bans on individual cities.

The new research suggests that even the most comprehensive clean indoor air quality policies don't result in losing hospitality jobs and that it it makes no economic difference to exempt bars from community smoking bans.

Researchers looked at trends in employment over a thee-year span in eight Minnesota cities with different types of clean indoor air policies and two cities with no laws restricting smoking.

The policies ranged from comprehensive smoking bans prohibiting in all workplaces to bans on smoking in most public places and businesses, but not in bars.

"In the end we can say there isn't a significant economic effect by type of clean indoor air policy, which should give us more support for maintaining the most beneficial public health policies," Elizabeth Klein, assistant professor of health behavior and health promotion at Ohio State University and lead author of the study, said in a statement. "The public health benefit clearly comes from a comprehensive policy where all employees are protected from exposure to environmental tobacco smoke."

Researchers say they hope the findings will have an influence on future debates on smoking-ban proposals across the nation.

The finding will be published in the June edition of the journal Prevention Science.

Exposure to secondhand smoke increases nonsmokers' risks of developing lung cancer, heart disease, respiratory conditions and other diseases, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.