Restaurant Related News

In Shift, Restaurant Group Backs Smoking Ban

By: Al Baker
Source: The New York Times
Published: January 15, 2003

ALBANY, New York -- The New York State Restaurant Association, once a vociferous ally in the fight to allow smoking in bars and restaurants, reversed course today and vowed to push for a statewide ban on smoking in all places of employment.

The group's announcement, labeled historic by advocates of the tough new anti-smoking laws that are sweeping across counties in New York and states from Maine to California, immediately rekindled an anti-smoking proposal that died in disagreement during last year's legislative session.

But unlike that bill, which included exemptions to the ban, the goal this year is to draft a bill that would entirely ban smoking in everything from factories and state office buildings to restaurants and bowling alleys - anywhere people are employed, the anti-smoking advocates said.

If passed as envisioned, the law would supersede local rules and be stricter than any laws now on the books, including the one set to take effect in New York City on March 30. Rick J. Sampson, the president of the Restaurant Association, said it would create a "global playing field" for businesses by eliminating smoking as a draw for customers.

"Watching what's going on throughout the state," Mr. Sampson said, "and seeing where there are certain segments, such as private clubs, that are exempt, some areas where the local bars and taverns are exempt, our people look at that as a threat."

He said that a majority of the 8000 members of his group, including restaurants, food service operators and suppliers, indicated their support for a total ban on smoking in a recent survey. "This is the future," he said. "This is the way it's going."

But another trade group, the Empire State Restaurant and Tavern Association, which represents 5,000 bars, restaurants and other businesses where alcohol is sold, still favors the more modest smoking rules in last year's bill.

"We support adoption of a reasonable restriction of smoking in our establishment," said Scott Wexler, the group's executive director.

But Mr. Sampson pledged to settle for nothing less than a complete ban on smoking in workplaces and said he would drive the bill in that direction. That buoyed the hopes of people like Russell Sciandra, the director of the Center for a Tobacco Free New York, and Blair Horner, the legislation director of the New York Public Interest Research Group, for a total ban to be passed this year.

"The only question left now is the political question," Mr. Horner said at a news conference with Mr. Sampson and others. "We hope that the governor and the legislative leaders reject the pleas of the tobacco industry and their cronies."

It is unclear whether a bill that meets the Restaurant Association's goal will be drafted, proposed or passsed.

One of the sponsors of last year's bill, Sen. Charles J. Fuschillo Jr., a Republican who represents parts of Nassau and Suffolk Counties, said he was pleased by the announcement, adding that it would "only create a greater advantage for us to move forward."