New U-M study finds smoking ban has not killed the bottom line if bars, restaurants

Publication Date: 2012-09-17

• Author:Amy Biolchini
• Publication:AnnArbor.com

More than two years after it went into effect, Michigan’s indoor smoking ban at businesses has had no significant negative impact on bars and restaurants, concludes a state-commissioned study conducted by University of Michigan researchers and released Monday.

Sales tax collections from Michigan retail eating and drinking establishments, as well as Club Keno sales, from 2006 to 2011 were collated by the Michigan Department of Treasury and analyzed by a team from U-M’s Institute for Social Research.

A study conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan has shown bars and restaurants have not suffered an overall negative impact from Michigan's statewide indoor smoking ban that went into effect May 1, 2010.

The smoking ban, signed into law in December 2009 and put into effect on May 1, 2010, made Michigan the 38th state to enforce such a ban in bars and restaurants. Implementation of the ban brought widespread concern from bar and restaurant owners that it would be bad for business, according to the study.

Helen Levy, Ph.D., led the study, which found that overall the ban did not have a statistically significant negative impact on businesses...