WYPR News in Maryland
(2006-01-30)
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WYPR's Taunya English spoke with restaurant and bar owners at the center of the debate:
Track 44, :10 - AMBIENCE - bar crowd noises
At Max's Taphouse in Fell's Point, noise, football cheers -- and cigarette fumes -- welcome you at the door. Owner Ron Furman said business is good, and his customers love the tavern's atmosphere.
Track 42, :10-:XX (XX seconds)
IC: "Smoking is bad for ya', I know that. But I enjoy having a nice meal, and then sitting back and smoking a cigar, and shooting the bull with my friends."
In Maryland, smoking's prohibited in most indoor worksites, but the ban doesn't cover restaurants and bars. Furman said expanding the ban would sink sales at businesses, like his, where alcohol -- not food -- brings in the customers.
Track 40, :12-:XX (XX seconds)
IC: "I've had people say to me, that: Ron if there's a ban, I'll just go pick up a six pack and take it home and watch the football game."
Smoking-ban supporters say they're working to guard employee health. But Ron Furman said the smoking ban will hurt his workers.
Track 37, :10-:XX (XX seconds)
IC: "They're going to have to go out and get new jobs, because I'm not going to be able to support the staff that I have, bottom line."
For three years in a row, smoking-ban opponents and supporters argued over the possible economic fallout from a state-wide prohibition. But this year, Kari Appler - with the Smokefree Maryland coalition - said the bill has become a social justice issue.
Track 23, 1:24-1:XX (XX seconds)
IC: "By and large, the majority of food service workers are low socio-economic status, minority and many of them don't have a voice in politics."
Maryland regulators long ago decided that second-hand smoke is a danger to worker health, but Appler said, bar and restaurant employees are still at risk.
Track 21, :51-:XX (XX seconds)
IC: "It is the only class of worker, now that is exposed. They have a far higher occupational risk and exposure to secondhand smoke. They have far higher rates of disease and death due to it."
Melvin Thompson is Vice President for Government Relations with the Restaurant Association of Maryland. Thompson said many hospitality employees are smokers, who deliberately choose smoker-friendly environments.
Disc One, Track 18, :18-31 (XX seconds)
IC: "The truth of the matter is a lot of the employees in our industry fight to work in those sections because that's where the customers linger longer, that's where they are going to make a little more money in tips."
Employees who are concerned about second-hand smoke are hesitant to speak up, according to Appler. But Thompson said that silence is curious.
Track 24, :10-:19 (9 seconds)
IC: "They talk about the employees who want a smoke-free environment, but we never see those employees show up at hearings at Annapolis, we would love to see them."
Track 80, :05-:20 AMBIENCE - Ice tinkling, water being poured into a glass.
At Harry Browne's restaurant in downtown Annapolis - smoking's not permitted downstairs in the white-table-cloth dining room. But smokers can go one flight up, to light up at the bar.
June Hendrie works upstairs.
Track 89, 1:14-1:22 (8 seconds)
IC: "I'm a bartender. I know people are going to smoke. If I don't like that, I think I'm going to get second hand smoke, I'll get another job."
While some tavern and bar owners worry about a business-busting smoking ban, owner Rusty Romo said his fine-dining restaurant won't be affected. He's even considering a switch that would make Harry Browne's totally smoke-free.
Romo said the change would create a nicer environment for workers and customers.
Disc One, Track 3, :18-:23 (5 seconds)
IC: "We believe that it's the right thing to do, and we think that eventually the ban is going to happen."
I'm Taunya English, reporting from Fells Point and Annapolis, for 88.1, WYPR.
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