Fox News:  Illinois Smoking Ban:  One Year Later

It was a year ago January 1st that cigarettes were officially snuffed out in Illinois businesses. Casinos, restaurants and bars were fretting, but a year later many say all that worrying was a waste of time.

"I love Marlboro Reds and I love to smoke cigarettes," but for the past 365 days Scott Dinga and his pals have  had to step outside to enjoy those Marlboro Reds. "No I'm not very thrilled with it at all no I'm not," like smoker Brent Bauer many bar owners still are not thrilled either.  "We were scared to death we didn't know what was going to happen," says Butch Davidson, manager at Shenanigan's Pub and Grill in Belleville.  Davidson isn't exactly crazy about the ban but he isn't cursing it either.  "I hear from the salesman and the beer drivers that a lot of people are hurting," says Davidson, "but we are doing good we feel fortunate."  He's fortunate because of food. 

"We have a good food business and its tripled it because we have people who have never came in before." says Davidson.  "I think if it's the same playing field for everybody its doable,"  which is why a year later Derek Betz is not concerned for his business at Fletcher's Kitchen and Tap in Belleville.  What profits the ban took away it has replaced.  "Now as far as alcohol our sales are about the same it's a little earlier happy hour or dinner but the food has actually gone up."  it is so engrained in Betz's mind, that when he works at the Crestwood Fletcher's asking smoking or non sometimes slips his mind. 

The seasoned restauranteur thinks someday soon its a question that may not be needed in St. Louis either.  "The entire city of Kansas City is smoke free Columbia, Missouri is smoke free I think it's a matter of time."