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Report Shows the New York State Clean Indoor Air Law has been a Success Provided by Roswell Park  |
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 The New York State Clean Indoor Air law is a success. That is the conclusion of Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) researchers, regional health officials and members of the hospitality industry who gathered today at Buffalo’s Anchor Bar to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the law and release a new report chronicling its health and economic impact.
The Roswell Park report reviews the results of 15 different studies analyzing various aspects of the law, from monitoring air quality, public compliance and attitudes, to economic outcomes in the hospitality industry. The report demonstrates that the air quality of hospitality venues has dramatically improved, compliance with the popular law is excellent, and as predicted, businesses were able to adjust to the new smoking rules without experiencing adverse economic outcomes.
“The hard data proves that a coordinated effort like the Clean Indoor Air Act can make a difference in the lives of the people those of us working in public health are responsible to protect. The bottom line is, it is working,” said Daniel Stapleton, Public Health Director, Niagara County Department of Health.
Owner of the Anchor Bar, Ivano Toscani, added. “The law has been a good thing. We have many customers that come from all over the country and all over the world; many ask for the non-smoking section. When I tell them it’s all non-smoking, they say, ‘Great.’”
“Bar and restaurant employment rates have continued to steadily increase in Erie and Niagara counties following the law’s implementation,” said Brian King, co-author of the report issued by RPCI. According to Louis Billittier, owner of Chef’s Restaurant, “Economically, it was great for us. Reduced maintenance costs alone have been significant.”
“Polling data reveal that public support for the smoke-free rules, which was high to begin with, has continued to increase since 2003, even among current smokers,” continued Anthony Billoni, director of the Erie-Niagara Tobacco-Free Coalition, “While most people see smoking as a personal choice, they don’t want to be exposed to the smoke, even in outdoor settings. People don’t want to be exposed to tobacco smoke when they go to the zoo, a baseball game, or attend our community festivals, and they appreciate it when smoking is restricted to areas away from where people congregate.”
“The demand for smoke free environments continues to grow and now includes demands from tenants for smoke-free apartments. Many landlords are finding that advertising their apartments as smoke-free is a positive business decision. Many hotels have declared their facilities smoke-free, and over 70% of private households say they don’t allow smoking indoors,” said K. Michael Cummings, PhD, Chair, Department of Health Behavior, RPCI.
For more information, visit www.quitthesmokes.org.
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