Smoke's gone, but not diners: Meal-tax receipts are up in Massachusetts since a statewide smoking ban took effect

Publication Date: 2005-03-09

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• Publication:Providence Journal

BOSTON -- Business has increased in Massachusetts restaurants since a statewide workplace smoking ban went into effect last July, according to a leading indicator.

State Department of Revenue figures indicate that meal-tax receipts were up in each of the last six months of 2004 compared with the same period in 2003, including a 10.6-percent increase in August -- the first full month after the law took effect -- over the previous August.