Press Room

Snuff out that cigarette
Statewide ban goes into effect this week

By KATIE ARCIERI, Staff Writer
The Capital

Joe McGovern, an old-school Annapolis bartender, will tell you about a time when most of his customers were smokers. But that was so 20 years ago.

"The whole world is more health conscious," said Mr. McGovern, co-owner of Stan and Joe's Saloon on West Street. "Even when I'm doing menu planning, I'm thinking salads and fresh fish. You just can't live on the greasy ham and cheese sandwiches."

Eight months after Maryland's governor signed a statewide smoking ban into law, it's finally here. The ban takes effect Friday, spurring Annapolis businesses owners like Mr. McGovern to plan renovations, scrub down walls and slap on a fresh coat of paint.

Others are adding outdoor heaters, ashtrays and new outside decks for their nicotine-loving clientele.

Sharky's on Somerville Road is planning a new deck for smokers and Rams Head Tavern is waiting on permits for decks at its Shore House location in Stevensville and Roadhouse restaurant in Crownsville. Stan and Joe's is setting up heaters on its 25-seat patio for wintertime smokers.

Signed into law on May 17, the state's Clean Indoor Air Act of 2007 prohibits anyone from smoking in indoor places such as bars and restaurants, taxis, offices and motels among other areas where people are employed. The law was designed to protect the health and environment of state residents and bar and restaurant staff.

This is the second blow in a one-two combination targeting the state's smokers. On Jan. 1, Maryland added another buck to the sales tax on cigarettes, taking the per pack cost of most brands over $5.

It follows years of attempts to ban smoking at the state level. Smoking bans already have been passed in Washington, New York City and several Maryland counties including Howard, Montgomery and Prince George's.

"We are catching up," said Del. Barbara Frush, D-Beltsville, the lead sponsor of the legislation. "Seven years ago when I started this process, we were among the first. But they've all passed us by. However, we needed the right governor and the right timing. For the last four years we've had a governor that threatened to veto it ... If I don't accomplish anything else in Annapolis, I feel that I have done something very good for the people of Maryland."

Ms. Frush said she's already received quite a positive response from workers and patrons of the establishments she's visited. They have thanked her, saying they can finally go out again, take their coat to a bar without getting it smoky and have even mentioned that their allergy problems have ceased.

But not everyone is anxiously awaiting the switch-over.

Patrons like Bobby Conner said he'd rather stay at home and puff on his Newports than smoke outside Sharky's, an Annapolis bar he frequently visits.

"Without a doubt," he said. "I will smoke on my deck and have a beer and pay 20 percent less."

Jim Sandwisch, a territory sales supervisor for beer distributor Buck Distributing Co. who was drinking a beer at Sharky's Thursday night, said he's a nonsmoker but questioned the ban and how far the government will go with its regulations. Pretty soon, policy makers could be banning cheeseburgers because they're considered unhealthy or limiting drinkers to two beers each, he said.

"Where do we stop?" he said.

Sean Lynch, a manager at Galway Bay, a Maryland Avenue bar where there is no designated area for smokers except outside the front door, said he expects this year to be especially challenging for business with the combination of the ban, the sales tax increase and the more vulnerable economy.

He also raised questions about the ban's impact on city streets, saying the number of cigarette butts outside is bound to increase along with smoker crowds outside local bars.

"We'll do what we can to keep our place tidy, but you can't blame the bar owners for this one," he said.

Alderman Sam Shropshire, D-Ward 7, who had introduced a citywide smoking ban legislation last year but held off on it because of the then-pending state ban, said he expects businesses to dispose of cigarette litter on their own. If it becomes a problem, then the issue will be reviewed, he said.

"We are looking into the state legislation and where it may be weak and lacking where the environment goes," Mr. Shropshire said. "Certainly, we'll be lending any support we can to make sure the streets and sidewalks are made clean."

Although some worried about the ban's impact on sales, businesses that have already made the conversion in other areas saw an increase in sales.

Stephen McLaughlin, restaurant manager of Sonoma's Bar and Grille in Howard County, where smoking was banned last year, said his bar knocked out a wall that separated the smoking and nonsmoking sections, put in new TVs and gave the bar a "good scrub down to remove the smoke residue."

"Overall, I think people are excited, we've had people come in here and say we wanted to give this place a try, but it was always too smoky," he said. "It's definitely increased our client base."

Advocates of the ban said it will finally level the playing field in Maryland and prevent patrons from crossing borders into other counties for a smoke. It also will give nonsmoking patrons the chance to order their cocktails or crab cakes without stepping through a smoky room, they said.

According to the county's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey, only 18.3 percent of Anne Arundel adults said they were smokers last year.

"We think in the long-term that this will not be detrimental to the hospitality industry," said Bob Burdon, president and chief executive officer of the Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce. "There will be new markets for them to reach into."

Several members of the local business community agreed with Mr. Burdon, saying they expect their sales to pick up with more health conscious customers.

"They are not fans of smoke or the smell of smoke," said Mr. McGovern of Stan and Joe's. "We have a beautiful restaurant, but you have to walk through the bar to get to the restaurant and that turns some people off. I've actually lost customers because of it."

Andrew Fox, who owns Sly Fox Pub on Church Circle with his brother Chris, said he already went "against the grain" and enforced his own ban in April to protect his staff from secondhand smoke. The bar's outside patio still is open to smokers, but he doesn't promote it as such.

"We're a small basement business so the smoke really would collect, it would cause trouble even for smokers," said Mr. Fox, who is a nonsmoker along with his brother. "I have not had one person come in and tell me they didn't like we were nonsmoking."

Tobacco retailers whose primary business comes from the sale of tobacco products and accessories are exempt from the ban. But even Francis Keller, who has worked at The Smoke Shop on Maryland Avenue for 40 years, said he doesn't know whether the ban will have a positive or negative impact on his store.

"I'm waiting," he said.

Staff Writers Shantee Woodards and Andrew Childers contributed to this story.It follows years of attempts to ban smoking at the state level. Smoking bans already have been passed in Washington, New York City and several Maryland counties including Howard, Montgomery and Prince George's.

"We are catching up," said Del. Barbara Frush, D-Beltsville, the lead sponsor of the legislation. "Seven years ago when I started this process, we were among the first. But they've all passed us by. However, we needed the right governor and the right timing. For the last four years we've had a governor that threatened to veto it ... If I don't accomplish anything else in Annapolis, I feel that I have done something very good for the people of Maryland."

Ms. Frush said she's already received quite a positive response from workers and patrons of the establishments she's visited. They have thanked her, saying they can finally go out again, take their coat to a bar without getting it smoky and have even mentioned that their allergy problems have ceased.

But not everyone is anxiously awaiting the switch-over.

Patrons like Bobby Conner said he'd rather stay at home and puff on his Newports than smoke outside Sharky's, an Annapolis bar he frequently visits.

"Without a doubt," he said. "I will smoke on my deck and have a beer and pay 20 percent less."

Jim Sandwisch, a territory sales supervisor for beer distributor Buck Distributing Co. who was drinking a beer at Sharky's Thursday night, said he's a nonsmoker but questioned the ban and how far the government will go with its regulations. Pretty soon, policy makers could be banning cheeseburgers because they're considered unhealthy or limiting drinkers to two beers each, he said.

"Where do we stop?" he said.

Sean Lynch, a manager at Galway Bay, a Maryland Avenue bar where there is no designated area for smokers except outside the front door, said he expects this year to be especially challenging for business with the combination of the ban, the sales tax increase and the more vulnerable economy.

He also raised questions about the ban's impact on city streets, saying the number of cigarette butts outside is bound to increase along with smoker crowds outside local bars.

"We'll do what we can to keep our place tidy, but you can't blame the bar owners for this one," he said.

Alderman Sam Shropshire, D-Ward 7, who had introduced a citywide smoking ban legislation last year but held off on it because of the then-pending state ban, said he expects businesses to dispose of cigarette litter on their own. If it becomes a problem, then the issue will be reviewed, he said.

"We are looking into the state legislation and where it may be weak and lacking where the environment goes," Mr. Shropshire said. "Certainly, we'll be lending any support we can to make sure the streets and sidewalks are made clean."

Although some worried about the ban's impact on sales, businesses that have already made the conversion in other areas saw an increase in sales.

Stephen McLaughlin, restaurant manager of Sonoma's Bar and Grille in Howard County, where smoking was banned last year, said his bar knocked out a wall that separated the smoking and nonsmoking sections, put in new TVs and gave the bar a "good scrub down to remove the smoke residue."

"Overall, I think people are excited, we've had people come in here and say we wanted to give this place a try, but it was always too smoky," he said. "It's definitely increased our client base."

Advocates of the ban said it will finally level the playing field in Maryland and prevent patrons from crossing borders into other counties for a smoke. It also will give nonsmoking patrons the chance to order their cocktails or crab cakes without stepping through a smoky room, they said.

According to the county's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey, only 18.3 percent of Anne Arundel adults said they were smokers last year.

"We think in the long-term that this will not be detrimental to the hospitality industry," said Bob Burdon, president and chief executive officer of the Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce. "There will be new markets for them to reach into."

Several members of the local business community agreed with Mr. Burdon, saying they expect their sales to pick up with more health conscious customers.

"They are not fans of smoke or the smell of smoke," said Mr. McGovern of Stan and Joe's. "We have a beautiful restaurant, but you have to walk through the bar to get to the restaurant and that turns some people off. I've actually lost customers because of it."

Andrew Fox, who owns Sly Fox Pub on Church Circle with his brother Chris, said he already went "against the grain" and enforced his own ban in April to protect his staff from secondhand smoke. The bar's outside patio still is open to smokers, but he doesn't promote it as such.

"We're a small basement business so the smoke really would collect, it would cause trouble even for smokers," said Mr. Fox, who is a nonsmoker along with his brother. "I have not had one person come in and tell me they didn't like we were nonsmoking."

Tobacco retailers whose primary business comes from the sale of tobacco products and accessories are exempt from the ban. But even Francis Keller, who has worked at The Smoke Shop on Maryland Avenue for 40 years, said he doesn't know whether the ban will have a positive or negative impact on his store.

"I'm waiting," he said.

Staff Writers Shantee Woodards and Andrew Childers contributed to this story.

Published Jan. 27, 2008, The Capital, Annapolis, Md.
Copyright © 2008 The Capital, Annapolis, Md.