Pulse: Chatter: Survey: Ban Stand

In January, the city enacted (for the second time) a smoking ban. We caught up with three notable Philadelphians and asked them to critique the city’s tobacco prohibition.

Audrey Claire Taichman, owner, Twenty Manning and Audrey Claire:

“I love the ban. My dry-cleaning bill has been cut in half, and my hair still smells good when I get home at night. It hasn’t hurt business at all. Even the smokers still return. They just go outside.”

Stu Bykofsky, Daily News columnist:

“Prior to the unnecessary ban, almost every dining room in Center City in which I ate had already banned smoking, so I would smoke at the bar. Now, I have to step outside. Just yesterday, I saw something really sad. I was walking by Woody’s on 13th Street, and I saw a dozen guys standing outside — this was the first really cold day — and I thought, ‘My God, is this really necessary?’”

Neil Stein, restaurateur, Rouge:

“I used to be a smoker, but I haven’t smoked for quite a while. But that’s not why I think it’s a good law. It’s just that … you serve great food coming out of the kitchen into the dining room, and people are sitting at the bar drinking a $10 drink, and someone’s smoking a cigarette and blowing smoke all over the restaurant. I don’t think that’s a good idea.”