I find it fascinating that pro-smoking advocates cannot live with investigations that prove them wrong. This tirade has no evidentiary basis whatsoever.
The evidence is piled up all over this country that smoking bans have had only one,, negative effect: a temporary drop in liquor sales. For a select few. Every other business indicator in every major city and state where smoking bans remain in effect have seen increases in revenue and a significant drop in alcohol and tobacco-related diseases. The loss of liquor profits is no loss at all when put up against the health issues, which will be the next shoe to drop around here when some data can be assembled. Given the incredible social and legal problems arising out of alcohol use., a drop in liquor revenues can only be a good thing. Live with this. It's over. A matter of time. Andy Driscoll Saint Paul -- on 12/8/05 12:35 AM, Dan McGrath wrote: > This study was entirely flawed, and biased, however. It lumps Hennepin and > Ramsey Counties together, does not distinguish between food and alcohol > sales, nor does it distinguish between bar and liquor store sales. > > Liquor stores have seen an increase in business since the smoking bans went > into effect, while Minneapolis bars report losses, and many have closed. St. > Paul bars which have exemptions have enjoyed *huge increases* in their > sales, while Minneapolis bars and other St. Paul establishments without > exemptions are going under. St. Paul has shuffled the money around > benefiting some bars to the detriment of others, and Minneapolis has > exported it's revenue to St. Paul. This doesn't matter to the state, which > gets it's cut of the money whether it's spent in St. Paul, or Minneapolis. > > Were the much championed cause of a state-wide ban to emerge victorious, St. > Paul would lose it's edge, and liquor stores would likely benefit, as > smokers would largely stay home. Revenues to the state would then drop (and > a new tax imposed on bottles purchased at liquor stores would be > inevitable). > > The reported number of metro liquor-serving establishments which have closed > since March 31st is a flat lie. > > Dan O'Gara's quote in the article is one of the most significant statements: > "The blue-collar, working man's bar, which is a big thing in the Twin > Cities, is probably going to be a thing of the past if this continues." > > The smoking ban is one more front in the assault on the middle class in the > urban core. > > Dan McGrath > Longfellow > http://www.smokeoutgary.org > http://www.subversivepictures.com > > REMINDERS: > 1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If > you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at > [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. > > 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. > > For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html > For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract > ________________________________ > > Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn > E-Democracy > Post messages to: mailto:mpls@mnforum.org > Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls > > REMINDERS: 1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:mpls@mnforum.org Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
