VANCOUVER, Jan. 21 /CNW/ - While the BC government has gone pro-tobacco on the eve of National Non-Smoking Week, many BC businesses are going smoke- free by choice.

"In numerous studies published in jurisdictions around the world, there have been no negative economic effects from bars and restaurants going smoke- free. The only three studies showing negative effects were funded by the tobacco industry," said Barbara Kaminsky, CEO of the Canadian Cancer Society, BC and Yukon Division. "It makes sense to jump on the train with the 80 per cent of BC's population that is non-smoking, rather than hoping the shrinking minority of smokers will carry your business," said Kaminsky. "More non-smokers avoid smoky bars than the entire number of adult smokers," she added. A case in point is Dean Gaudry, owner of Nanaimo's Windward Pub, which has gone smoke-free. Gaudry says business continues to grow and is surprisingly brisk this month. Gaudry kept his pub smoke-free when the government overturned the WCB's smoke-free workplace legislation in March 2000. Before taking his business smoke-free, Gaudry had three Honeywell electrostatic filters and was venting 1200 cu ft/minute, but still "couldn't keep up with the smoke on busy nights." The Penticton Lakeside Resort, Conference Centre and Casino also eliminated the smoke. Knowing a ban was being put in place Jan. 1, 2000, the resort decided to take their bar smoke-free in Dec. 1999, after completing a $10 million renovation and expansion. "Even though the majority of staff were smokers, they voted to keep the bar smoke-free when the WCB ban was overturned three months later," says Gitta Schoenne, sales and promotion manager. "They said they preferred working in a non-smoking atmosphere." In May 2000, the entire hotel and casino went non-smoking, short of five guest rooms out of 204. It's a drastic turn-around in less than a decade. In 1993, the resort had 187 smoking rooms. However, "since the renovations and going smoke-free, every month has been a record-breaking month," Schoenne said. "We had some complaints and lost a few regulars but, moreso, we heard from non-smokers how great it was to have a smoke-free venue to come to," she said. "We've gained a lot of customers which far outweighs the ones we lost." Schoenne says it makes business sense to provide services that the majority of the population want, rather than catering to the minority, and adds, "Besides, what smoker doesn't want to quit smoking, deep down? We're making it easier to help people achieve that goal." The Canadian Cancer Society is also committed to helping people kick the habit. National Non-Smoking Week (January 20-26) is the perfect time to make a positive change. "We know smokers need support in their attempts to quit and we are here for them," says Kaminsky. The Society provides a proven, self-help, quit smoking program called One Step At A Time. It also offers the BC Smokers' Helpline support service at 1-877-455-2233, which is funded in part by the BC Ministry of Health. The Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) provides leading financial support for cancer research and delivers community-based support programs and prevention information for all types of cancer. The BC and Yukon Division has six regional offices and a presence in over 100 communities, with more than 17,000 volunteers, serving over 100,000 people.

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