Cost of banning public smoking in Ohio: $2 million

[fuzzhead]

 COLUMBUS, Ohio —  Newly released Ohio Department of Health figures show
 the state has spent $3.2 million to impose $1.2 million in fines on violators of
 Ohio's smoking ban.

Republican state Sen. Bill Seitz of Cincinnati says the state's $2 million net cost 
of enforcing the law is money that would be better spent on education, health care
 or other programs. The health department provided the numbers on a request
 from Seitz, a critic of the ban and a smoker himself.

Department indoor environment chief Mandy Burkett says the price tag is not 
unreasonable and says the state will eventually see savings in other areas, 
including health care costs.

Voters approved the statewide ban on smoking in indoor public places in 2006 and
 enforcement began the following May.

[OZZIEOHIO]

Some of the best money they have ever spent. IMO

[my2cents]

Agreed. Until you go back to a state that still allows indoor smoking you don't realize how good it is not to have to put up with it. I also know of several people who have quit smoking because of the major inconveinance it is to them now, so there must be thousands of them out there, so that is another plus.

[caglewis]

Why is that post so wide????
My question is - what exactly IS the cost?? Where did that money go?
I'll bet it was spent mostly on "advertising" - paying for local TV, radio, newspaper announcements of the change in the law and the ramifications. Some of those expenses will decline as time goes by and everyone gets used to the new restriction.
Also there would be phone line charges and personnel to man the hotline reporting number. And who responds to "complaints" phoned in? I hope it's not law enforcement people who have to devote their time to enforcing this as opposed to deterring real crime, so there must be additional personnel to investigate reported violations and enforce compliance. So let's see - couldn't you call all that expense either "support of small business" or "creation of jobs"? Or is it just more intrusive and expensive "big government bureaucracy"? Take your choice. I quit smoking.

[mstangmom]

Now I will start by saying I could care less one way or the other about smoking in bars and resteraunts. I have done a lot of traveling and I am actually shocked when asked if we want smoking or non-smoking but those in there smoking are usually far enough away that it doesn't bother the non-smokers.

But with all the complaints about the debt our state is in (and there is no denying that debt), is the cost really worth it?
Want it to be non smoking fine, all in all I think the majority follow the law voted on by the public, but why spend so much going after places who don't when it brings in so little only putting the state in further debt?

Decrease that debt by allowing a certain number of bars in an area apply for and pay for an annual lisence to allow smoking and making it a smoking bar then people will know in advance if they want to go to that establishment or not. I know is c-ville they only allow as certain number of establishments to serve alcohol that same proceedure could be followed for bars that

[fuzzhead]

I agree mom. I think they should wait to see if the cost decreases, but if not, there's no need for it. If people don't want to be around the smoke, don't eat at the restaurant; it's the restaurant that loses your business and they're the ones taking the risk by allowing it.

[kantuckyII]

Best dollars Ohio ever spent!

As long as every business is banned too, they love it as well. It saves them a ton of money on maintenance..cleaning, filters, painting ect ect.

We came back from Tennessee last year and stopped along the border at a pizza place. It looked so strange to see someone light up a cigarette in there. Hard to believe how quickly you get adjusted to them being banned.

I think it's plain to see that all the bans and education is starting to take it's toll on the smoking industry. I can remember as a boy that the majority of adults smoked. I am thinking about my neighbors and of at least 15 of them, only 1 smokes. More than one quit a long time ago (myself included). The more they enforce bans in public and stuff..the more uncool it will be to smoke as the years go by

[Orange and Brown]

I quit about 5 years ago, The smoke makes me sick in tight spaces now but I really could care less if someone wants to light up or not. They can go to the Bar and smoke all night...I aint going to be there!

[kantuckyII]

Fido..soon, there will be a day that you can't imagine smoking again

[biggdowgg]

Fido..soon, there will be a day that you can't imagine smoking again

its not the smoking part that is hard on FIDO,Its the fire on the lighetr when he lights up,that he has a hard time leaving behind

[Runner]

I am glad to see that the money was put to good use. The no smoking ban is the best thing that this state has come up with. We were not the first to put the law into placeand we have not been the last. Everyone seems to be use to it by now, and there has been no businesses that have closed because the ban was put in place. Actually these establishments claim to be making just the same or even more money, because they have gained :another" crowd of people.

[The Instructor]

I am thrilled that Ohio has the smoking ban.

I wish every state had the law.

[king kong]

I dont care what the cost. Keep it

[swbaseballfan]

living in southern ohio you have more to worry about than people smoking and poluting the air. the air here is dirty, the water is terrible and there is no sign of change in the near future

[my2cents]

What the original poster fails to point out is the only reason there is a loss of money between the dollars spent and the dollars taken in, is the fact that Ohio decided not to go hard after the smokers and fine them. So the smokers are now using this as a reason to say they should remove the ban but just think how they would have reacted if the fines collected had produced a large profit.
Like others have stated, it has never been better without all the smoke in the bars. Smokers make up about 20% of the population and that number is decreasing. The gloom and doom of businesses never happened, and as mentioned above, many places have increased. I can now go to bingo halls, bowling alleys, and bars, along with 80% of Ohioian's who don't smoke and enjoy myself. When this is finally inacted in every state there will be no complaints from border towns. Then the smokers can just stay home if they can't go two or three hours without lighting up.

[fuzzhead]

M2C, I wasn't advocating public smoking. I saw this article on my Cincinnati news application on my phone and I posted it to stir talk. It suceeded. As has been shown, this is a very popular rule on both sides of the political aisle. IMO the restaurants should have the choice to ban smoking because it's obvious it doesn't lose them buisiness and as you've said, most people don't smoke. It's turned out to be the economical thing to do so odds are most busineses would ban it anyway because it actually doesn't hurt and often helps profit.

[mstangmom]

As I said in the beginning, I could care less one way or another Ban it or not ban it. but I believe a bussiness owner should have a choice if they want their establishment to be smoking or non smoking. in return people can choose to go to either a smoking or non smoking establishment.

many have quit smoking because of this and that is great, many have not and thats their choice.

This state would litterally be SCREWED if everyone quit, they rake in millions from taxes on tobacco products. I never realized how much they really made off tobacco until I was down south last year saw the prices. I asked the clerk if the price i saw on a pack of smokes was correct she said yeah then asked why, I told here in ohio those are like 5.25 plus tax. she thought I was lying. I pack of Marlboro in SC was 2.50.

[fuzzhead]

Excellent post mom. You can see very cheap cigarette prices in Louisa, Ky as well. And you're right about smoking raking in millions. The same with the lottery; it makes money for the state, but gambling can also ruin lives - that's the moral dilema with the casinos as well.
A pack of cigarettes costs a few pennies to make and the
government is making a huge profit margin. They don't need/want everyone to stop smoking just like they don't want people to stop gambling.

[kantuckyII]

When I was a senior in high school, me and three guys I grew up with took off and went to Myrtle Beach. One's dad gave him 20 dollars to get him 10 cartons. Could you imagine that? 2 bucks a carton...of course, that's been like uh...37 years ago..YI*KES!

[my2cents]

I have read statistics that show the the millions they make are off cigarettes are then lost when the smoker gets cancer and medicaid and medicare kicks in. Of course, then there is the argument that smokers die earlier of these diseases so the money is again saved on social security.
Tobacco companies are still making their millions, they are just hitting the overseas markets heavier now. They have got the Chinese hooked and they don't have to mess with all the advertising laws. They can hand out cigarettes to kids and young smokers to get them hooked, use cartoons and advertise on kids programs. Just like they did in the USA.