(Jamaica Observer) Less than week after the Ministry of Health imposed a smoking ban, bar owners say their businesses are suffering.
Christopher Lyew is a third generation bar owner who operates the Willie’s Pub in the Portia Simpson Miller Square, more popularly known as Three Miles.
On any given day or night, Willie’s Pub swings with patrons sipping on alcoholic beverages, smoking cigarettes and amusing themselves around gaming machines.
But Lyew said that the smoking ban has turned off many customers who are used to relieving their stress over a couple drinks and inhaling nicotine-filled smoke from cigarettes.
But with the owner of the establishment liable to face a fine of up to J$1 million, Lyew has been forced to ask his customers who smoke to take their pleasures outside to a designated area 10 feet away from the bar in an open space.
“This is the worst week I have ever seen. The ban is hurting business, as many people who are told they cannot smoke, opt to leave. This bar has been here since my grandfather’s days and in just a few days it is really bad,” Lyew told the Jamaica Observer.
For Manuela Allwood, who operates a small bar at Laws Street in Parade Gardens, downtown Kingston, the ban could not have been imposed at a worst time.
“Most drinkers do smoke and when you tell them they can’t smoke in the bar, you lose a sale. I tell you that some people smoke more than they drink as many people come to the bar to relieve their stress. The ban is hurting my business,” she said.
Under the rules of the ban, smoking is illegal in all enclosed spaces accessible to the public; public transportation; work places; government-owned and occupied buildings; health facilities including pharmacies; sports, athletics and recreational facilities for the use of the public; educational institutions; areas specifically used by children; and places of collective use by the public, such as bus stops.
On South Camp Road at Charlie’s Tavern, Chevelle Drisdale works as a bartender.
Drisdale sat alone inside the small establishment that usually attracts customers at all times of the day.
“When them hear say them can’t smoke inside here them don’t bother drink. The bar losing business since Monday and we sell less cigarettes,” said.
At the Blue Flames Pub at East Queen Street, another bartender, Antoinette Wiggins, said that while business was slow, she did not think that the smoking ban was the cause.
“We still sell cigarettes and the regular customers still drink in here. I don’t really see any bad effects yet,” she said.
As she spoke, a large sign advertising cigarettes was on display. While there was no sign that said no cigarette smoking, a large sign with large words warning against ganja smoking was evident.
While most owners of wholesale businesses said it was too early to definitively tell if cigarette sales were adversely affected because of the smoking ban, one owner who wished to remain unidentified said he had noticed a slight dip in cigarette sales since the imposition of the ban.
But it is the smokers who are crying foul the loudest, as most claim that the measure is a draconian one and was not thought through properly.
Carol Ainsley has been smoking for over a decade and was seething when the Sunday Observer asked whether or not the ban was affecting her enjoyment of her chosen vice.
“I think them should exclude the bar from the ban. The bar is for people who need to relieve them stress over two beer and some smoke. What them chatting bout me can’t smoke my cigarette in a bar? Them mash up the country and put we under stress and now them want come tell we say we can’t relieve the stress what dem cause? This thing need a review man,” Ainsley said.
Another man questioned whether or not it made sense to ban smoking at certain public events such as a dance.
“Are the patrons going to leave the venue everytime they want to smoke? People who go to those places know that smoking is par for the course so I don’t think the ban should be one that makes anybody uncomfortable,” the man said.
An offender can be fined up to J$50,000 if caught smoking in any of the designated areas. However under the Dangerous Drugs Act, an individual can be fined up to J$5,000 or slapped with a sentence not exceeding 12 months if caught smoking ganja.
Anti-smoking advocates say cigarettes cause a variety of cancers and other deadly diseases and claim that the smoke sticks are laced with poisonous substances such as Arsenic which is used in rat poison, formaldehyde (embalming fluid), lead, battery acid, nicotine, acetone and tar among other deadly ingredients.
