The Free Press, Mankato, MN

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December 17, 2007

Our View — Numbers prove ban has many benefits

Put this in the “no surprise” category:

Minnesota’s recent ban on smoking in bars has created a major increase in the number of people who want to stop smoking.

It’s just another benefit of the Freedom to Breath Act, which kicked in Oct. 1.

Anti-tobacco group ClearWay, as well as the two biggest insurance companies, have seen a more than 40 percent increase in the number of people using their smoking-cessation programs since the ban took effect.

Blue Cross and Medica say they have seen similar spikes in the number of clients filing claims to get nicotine replacement products.

The numbers give strong evidence to two observations.

The first is that many, if not most, smokers truly want to quit and will take the opportunity to try if given a reason.

The second is that many people who identify themselves as occasional smokers have smoked mostly when they went to bars. With the ban on bar smoking, they have found good reason to stop smoking altogether. (They’ve also found that stopping smoking, even for occasional smokers, is harder than they may have anticipated.)

Fortunately, assistance in quitting is far superior to what it ever has been. There are several free counseling services available and rather than having to quit cold turkey, people have a variety of options for nicotine replacement that eases the transition.

Nicotine replacement gums, patches and lozenges are now available without a prescription at any pharmacy. And there are some new and promising prescription drugs available to reduce cravings.

Many of the opponents of the state’s smoking ban argued it would do nothing to reduce smoking. They were wrong. And the evidence from other states that have had bar smoking bans longer shows that not only do more people try to stop, more are successful. New York City saw an 11 percent decrease in smoking rates after two years of their ban.

The ban is especially helpful in reaching the younger smokers, who often started or increased their smoking when they went to bars where smoking was allowed.

The ban on smoking in bars means non-smokers can enjoy a night out without the annoyance or health dangers of second-hand smoke.

Just as important, it will lead to many thousands of people giving up smoking, improving their health and finances and saving millions in health-care costs that are borne by everyone.

Free smoking cessation help is available on the toll free number for ClearWay’s Quitplan hotline: (888) 354-PLAN or www.quitplan.quitnet.com.

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