Daytime Smoking Is Banned at 3 Restaurants
By Bernie Nguyen

With the advent of new research about the hazards of secondhand smoke, states and cities have begun to adopt legislation that bans smoking in workplaces, restaurants, and even bars. Locally, several restaurants have implemented policies that keep their dining areas smoke free until certain times, including Seabiscuit and Grog Cafe, the Pub and Oyster Bar, and The Gate House.

The Pub and Oyster Bar and Seabiscuit and Grog Cafe, which are both owned by Debra and Sandra Orr, started their policies just this year. The Pub and Oyster Bar maintains a smokefree restaurant before 9 p.m., and the Seabiscuit and Grog Cafe is smoke-free until 4 p.m.

Since some states now have nonsmoking laws in place for restaurants and bars, creating a smoke-free environment during the day became an important issue, said Denise Hanrahan, manager for the Pub and Oyster Bar.

"A lot of tourists are coming from nonsmoking states," Ms. Hanrahan said, adding that the restaurant would often get comments about how the excessive smoke was creating an uncomfortable atmosphere. She believes that by keeping the restaurant smoke-free during the day but allowing smokers to enjoy the bar at night, the Pub and Oyster Bar is giving both smokers and nonsmokers an option.

Wendy Crowley, manager of the Seabiscuit and Grog, also said she feels keeping the restaurant smoke-free during the day makes the environment more appealing to families.

Both Ms. Crowley and Ms. Hanrahan emphasize the size of the restaurant is a factor in deciding to start a smoke-free policy rather than simply designating areas of smoking and nonsmoking.

"We really feel this place is too small for families and other people who would rather not be in a smoky environment," Ms. Crowley said. And since most of her day customers come in primarily to eat, its easier for them to dine in a smoke-free environment. Smokers, she said, have been considerate enough to step outside, where the restaurant provides an ashtray.

The smoke-free environment, she added, has not hurt business and has been popular with families.

"It's been overwhelmingly positive," she said of the feedback since the restaurant decided to implement its policy. "Many, many people have told us that they appreciate the nonsmoking environment."

Owner Debra Orr said the new policy was implemented at the request of visitors.

"I think that the majority of our customer base is asking for that," she said. At the same time, she added, "We respect our customer base that does smoke, and we've also tried to accommodate them. I think it's been a very positive response, even from the smokers."

Andrew Doud, manager of The Gate House, said architecture was a primary factor in going smoke-free there, where smoking is curtailed until after 8 p.m. The restaurant's entrance leads directly past the bar area, he said, and a smokefilled bar would be an unpleasant welcome to diners. The policy also fits the restaurant's projected image, he added.

"We wanted to make it a cleaner, more family-friendly restaurant. We want to maintain a good bar with a family atmosphere for the restaurant."

Mr. Doud emphasized that the policy is not intended to exclude smokers, but the 8 p.m. demarcation balances the bar against the restaurant.

"We're certainly not an antismoking restaurant," he said. "We just put an ashtray by the fireplace outside, and people don't seem to mind."

"I think eventually it'll happen everywhere," he added.

Currently in Michigan, restaurants exercise individual discretion when it comes to smoking policies. Other Island restaurants follow the state law requiring restaurants to have designated smoking and nonsmoking sections.

To date, 11 states have laws enforcing smoke-free environments in all workplaces, including Florida, Massachusetts, and New Jersey, and 14 states have legislation in place that ban smoking in restaurants, including those with attached bars. Among these states are California, New York, and Washington. These states, in addition to Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Vermont, also mandate that bars must be smokefree.

Michigan's Clean Indoor Air Act outlines specific guidelines for designation of smoking areas in restaurants. The state has no laws prohibiting smoking in restaurants, bars, or workplaces.

In a regional effort spearheaded by the Luce, Mackinac, Alger, Schoolcraft District Health Department, much of the Eastern Upper Peninsula is expected within a year to ban smoking in public places, including public and private worksites, but not bars and restaurants. That is because food and beverage establishments contend they can eliminate or significantly reduce second hand smoke with air handling units, which filter it out of the air.

Mackinac County was first to adopt the local legislation, doing so last September, and Alger and Schoolcraft counties have also adopted the ban, which will take effect once Luce County comes on board. Luce County commissioners have yet to reach a consensus on the matter, however, and are expected to take a second vote on it this fall.