Quote Originally Posted by MetsFan View Post
This is a serious, non-sarcastic question ... If the smoking ban has decreased bar traffic and revenue, what are all of the smokers doing instead? Just staying home?

Also, you don't think the economy has anything to do with businesses closing? Lots of other factors besides the smoking ban to consider. And, be careful with numbers, the first figure 14 references a single year, while the 150+ represents a multi-year period. Compare single year to single year and it's a bit less dramatic.
The statistics are simple enough.

14 closing the year before the smoking ban, 100 closings within 20 months of the smoking ban, 150 closings in two years after the smoking ban.

The economy had not even taken the bad turn it has now by then.

In the 3 years since the smoking ban over 200 have closed.