Last Call for Smokers

BYRAM - Puff. Just like that, the days of lighting up in restaurants, bars, and most other indoor public places went up in smoke when New Jersey lawmakers overwhelmingly approved a smoking ban this week after years of back-and-forth debate. Acting Gov. Richard Codey said he intends to sign the legislation before he leaves office on Tuesday. The new law would take effect 90 days after the signing. Some local business owners and employees called the new law a breath of fresh air, others aren’t clear what to make of it, and there are those that are downright fired up. “We’re against it,” said Mary Ann Schiavone, a bartender at ‘76ers restaurant in Stanhope, who expects the prohibition to take a bite out of tips. “It will hurt our business. We don’t know what our options are. If someone has a petition, we’ll be happy to sign it.” The Stanhope resident said the establishment on Route 206 may put up a tent outside the facility to accommodate the bar patrons who wish to smoke. “It will not be convenient, we can’t have people walking through the kitchen,” she said. “They’re not going to be happy. We’ll have to put a sign up and explain that this is the law now.” The sweeping legislation will ban smoking in all public establishments including New Jersey’s restaurants and bars, bowling halls, bingo halls, sports arenas, waiting areas, offices, and shopping malls. Violators of the measure would face fines of $250 to $1,000. Nancy Lombardi, who has owned and operated the Adam Todd in Cranberry Lake, believes the new law will hurt the bar industry, but should have little effect on her smoke-free banquet and catering facility. “The last five years, no one wants any ashtrays or any smoking,” the Sparta resident said. “People are more uptight about it. Years ago, you could smoke in the dining room; then it was just in a smoking area. Now, more people automatically go outside to have a cigarette. It just seems to be the norm.” Assembly members passed the bill by a 64-12 margin despite the pleas of small business owners, who believe the legislation is another example of government tampering with individual choice. Some bar and restaurant owners questioned the need for the ban, asserting that two-thirds of the state’s eating and drinking establishments have already banned smoking, giving patrons plenty of choices. The bill exempts casino floors, cigar bars and tobacco retailers. But the New Jersey Restaurant Association is considering going to court to argue the legislation is discriminatory, and therefore does not provide equal protection under law. “I think it’s unfair, but it tells you where the government gets money from,” said Lombardi. “I think it should be all or nothing.” Proponents of the measure cite the non-discriminatory troubles with secondhand smoke, which affects everyone standing in its path -- from patrons to busboys, waiters and bartenders. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, secondhand smoke kills an estimated 3,000 nonsmokers each year. Secondhand smoke is a Group A carcinogen containing more than 4,000 chemicals, including formaldehyde, cyanide, and benzene, which is know to cause cancer. Some businesses see the new legislation as an opportunity to increase profits. “I have an hour wait on Saturday nights because people want non-smoking seats,” said Joseph Henriquez, general manager at the Andover Inn on Route 206. “This helps me to seat tables at the bar.” Henriquez said the Andover Inn, which reopened after renovations were completed in November, already has an effective exchange system that re-circulates outdoor air into the facility every five minutes. “We don’t like the place to have that smoky feel,” he said. At least nine other states -- California, Delaware, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington -- have adopted similar measures. Kim Karnes, manager of the Lockwood Tavern in Byram, said customers were always complaining until the owner banned smoking throughout the 170-seat restaurant a year ago -- except in the bar areas. “A lot of people that come into the bar are looking to have a drink and a cigarette,” she said. “We want to make customers as comfortable as they can be. This is just a law they’ll have to abide by.” Kathleen Fitzpatrick said breaking any old habits isn’t easy. The Sparta resident directs the Quit Center at Newton Memorial Hospital, where smokers can take part in a three-month program centered on nicotine replacements and group meetings that eventually eliminate the urge for tobacco. “It’s very hard to quit smoking,” said Fitzpatrick, whose facility boasts a 35 percent success rate in the past three years. “Smokers are just going to have to get used to it. But more people will think about quitting if they can’t go back to the place where they were comfortable smoking.” And for those not interested in quitting just yet, Fitzpatrick suggests another course of action. “They should just have dessert,” she said.