Issue date: 1/14/09 Section: News

After coming to the Indio Cigar Factory in the square to study Amanda Smith, freshman, exhales hookah smoke after the co-owner Gena Mirick set it up on Tuesday night. Although bars and restaurants have become smoke free in the past year due to the Illinois smoking ban Indigo remains one of the few establishments that still cater to smokers. (Karolina Strack/The Daily Eastern News)

Correction added


The Smoke Free Illinois Act, which banned smoking in public places, including bars and restaurants statewide, turned one year old January 1.

Some aspects of the ban, like who enforces it and how, remain unclear, said Dan Stretch, director of environmental health for the Coles County Health Department.

"We are all awaiting better clarification of the smoking act," Stretch said.

He said the county health department punishes establishments that break the law, while individuals are punished by the local police or sheriff's department.

Stretch said Coles County bars and restaurants have largely obeyed the smoking ban.

"Surprisingly, we've gotten very good voluntary compliance from the establishments," Stretch said. "They need to be congratulated."

He said so far, no establishments have been punished for breaking the ban.

While keeping smoke out of bars and restaurants has been easy, keeping customers in has not.

Patricia Craig, of the Southside Cafe on Jackson Avenue, said her restaurant lost some customers when the law took effect.

"At first there was a drop (in business)," Craig said. "We had a few smokers who had been coming in."

That drop was short-lived and business has returned to normal, she said.

"It's pretty well come back," Craig added.

The ban has had a bigger impact on bars, said Mike Knoop, owner of Roc's Black Front bar and restaurant on Sixth Street.

"It's hurt us a certain amount," Knoop said. "Drinking and smoking kind of go together."

Knoop said many patrons who smoke buy fewer drinks and leave earlier since they cannot light up indoors.

To prevent that loss of customers, other bars, like Panther Paw Bar and Grill on Fourth Street, have added patios where patrons can eat, drink and smoke outdoors.

"I think it's a hit," said a Panther Paw employee.

He said he would have added the patio without the smoking ban, and he said he doubts patrons are drawn to the patio just for the chance to smoke.

"Part of it is that people like to be outside … especially in the summertime," the employee said. "But I don't think (smoking) is a huge draw."


Joe Astrouski can be reached at 581-7942 or at jmastrouski@eiu.edu.

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