Traverse City Record-Eagle

Newsmakers 2009

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  • Jan-Michael Stump

    SMOKING LAW
December 24, 2009

Newsmakers: Mixed reactions to smoking ban

Some happy, some vow to remain defiant before law

BY alex piazza

Editor's note: Newsmakers '09 explores the stories that made headlines in northwestern Michigan in 2009. Past articles in this series can be read online at record-eagle.com/newsmakers.

Traverse City -- Gary Wagner plans to ignore a new law that soon will ban smoking inside his Kalkaska restaurant.

"I'll be very defiant," said Wagner, owner of The Roadhouse. "They'll have to throw me in jail or shut me down. If there's any loophole I can use to get around it, I'll do it."

Gov. Jennifer Granholm recently signed a smoking ban into law that will take effect in May. It applies to all bars, restaurants and workplaces other than Detroit casinos, cigar bars, tobacco speciality stores, home offices and motor vehicles.

Granholm said Michigan citizens' health is a top priority, the reason she supported the expansion of smoke-free areas.

But Wagner, a nonsmoker, is upset that his restaurant will have to comply with the smoking ban, while portions of three Detroit casinos will be exempt.

"If the state of Michigan doesn't like smoking, they should ban it entirely," Wagner said. "If they're protected, I should be protected. Don't single people out."

And Wagner's not alone. Bar and restaurant owners could challenge the new law in court, arguing the smoking ban is discriminatory.

Cassie Coburn, 19, of Traverse City, agrees that bar and restaurant owners should have the "final say" on a smoking ban.

But the news certainly didn't come as a disappointment for Coburn, a nonsmoker.

"I don't like smoking ... It makes your food taste bad," she said.

Wagner has offered smoke-free dining at The Roadhouse since it opened 10 months ago, but he's not no sure his restaurant will survive another 10 months because of the new law.

"Don't cut my throat on my night life," he said. "If we lose our night life, they might as well shut us down. When there's no business in this state, what are they going to do then?"

But Lisa Danto said the smoking ban can only benefit local bars and restaurants.

Mackinaw Brewing Company in Traverse City went smoke-free early last year, and a manager said she hasn't witnessed any ill-effects.

"I think we all felt it was a matter of time," said Danto, coordinator of the Traverse Bay Area Tobacco Coalition. "This hopefully will be a huge step to send a message to kids that we don't want them to be exposed to it."

Elizabeth Ockert doesn't make it a habit to smoke inside restaurants, but she expects the ban will cause plenty of unhappy patrons.

"I think it's a common thing," said Ockert, 19, of Traverse City. "Smoking and drinking go hand-in-hand."

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