Here’s a depressing report from the New York Post on the possible financial
impact of Nurse Bloomberg’s smoking ban. It seems that there has been a
dramatic fall-off in business at various New York bars. There are, of course, a number
of possible explanations for this including the weather and the fact that the city’s
economy was already in poor shape. The Post’s survey may also have been unrepresentative.
Still, it’s difficult to avoid the conclusion that the ban is driving away business. The Nurse
will probably argue that this situation will right itself once people get used to the new regime.
Maybe, but in tough times that’s quite a gamble to take. Bloomberg’s ban was based on junk
science. It looks like junk economics too.