Who Do You Believe?

In a recent post I talked about the flawed government science that turned second hand smoke into another rights destroying money gobbling fear dedicated to the further growth of government. The people who are busily eliminating the property rights of small businessmen say their particular use of state force and coercion has no negative economic impact on the objects of their legislative efforts. Now, if they are going to fudge the data on the alleged harmfulness of the smoke found in bars, then why should anyone believe their financial assessment of their smoking bans?

Someone much closer to the day-to-day reality of the restaurant business has written a letter to the editor of the Washington Examiner, which they printed in their 7/11 edition. “According to the recently released U.S. Surgeon General’s Report, ‘Evidence from peer-reviewed studies shows that smoke-free policies and regulations do not have an adverse economic impact on the hospitality industry.’ What I want to know is: When did Dr. Richard Carmona become an expert on the economic impact of smoking bans?

As executive director of the American Beverage Licensees —the nation’s largest trade association representing nearly 20,000 bars, restaurants, taverns and liquor stores — I have firsthand experience that tells me he’s wrong, peer-reviewed studies or not. Many of our members are small family businesses whose owners are hard-working, taxpaying Americans operating in a very competitive environment. We don’t claim to be scientists or epidemiologists, but we are experts on the business environment in the hospitality industry.

Across the country, alcohol beverage retailers have experienced revenue losses, job cuts and business closings due to smoking bans. Often these are businesses that have been passed down in the same family for generations. The science and the controversy all boil down to two simple questions: 1. Should adults be allowed to have a cigarette in an age-restricted venue? 2. Are adults capable of making a decision on whether or not they want to frequent a place where smoking is permitted? If Dr. Carmona or anyone else answers “No,” then secondhand smoke is the very least of America’s problems.

Harry Wiles Executive director, American Beverage Licensees”

Well, the anti-tobacco crowd will say that Mr. Wiles is a self interested liar but if these smoking bans are not in reality hurting business why would the laws be an issue for him and his clients. They are paying him to protect their interests and if the anti-smoking legislation has no bad impact then why even bring up the subject. I see no real motivation on the part of the restaurant business to falsify on this matter.

The other side, however, has a big incentive to fudge once again. They need to portray their activates as having no costs because if the public starts to think about the consequences, both monetary and otherwise, of the anti-smoking legislation it might notice that these baseless laws protect no one and harm our entire society, if only for their precedent.

Hat Tip to Dave Varney