Five Years Since IL Smoking Ban - CBS4 - WHBF Quad Cities, IL-IA News Weather Sports

Five Years Since IL Smoking Ban

By Natalie Zarowny
nzarowny@cbs4qc.com

When it comes to the smoking ban, a lot of the focus has been on the good that's come out of it.

For example, the state health department said they've seen a big decline in adult smokers since 2008.

But what about the businesses that have had to cope with the change?

"Business dropped drastically right away," said Mike Mizeur, who owns the Quarter-Til Tap in Rock Island.

Mike said the ban was rough, but it came at a bad time in general with the recession hitting soon after.

And the promise of more non-smoking customers never came.

"They kept telling us the people that don't smoke would come in.  Well, they didn't come in.  They had a choice to go somewhere else and stuff and now they took that choice away," said Mike.

But some non-smokers disagree.

For one Milan man and his wife, the ban has made them go out to local businesses more.

"It was the first time that we were not rushed in and out of an establishment that we could sit and relax and enjoy and I wouldn't get a face full of smoke, and I've appreciated it ever since," said D.J. Maher, a non-smoker.

Still, Mike at the Quarter-Til Tap said if given the chance to change back the law...

"I'd go ahead and do it, it can't hurt."

A recent survey by the American Lung Association reported overall voter opinion of the ban is positive.