Royal Oak Not Suffering Due to the Indoor Smoking Ban

When Michigan's no smoking law went into effect last May, some business owners decried the measure as detrimental to their income. They worried that their patrons would eschew bars, pubs, and other restaurants where smoking was common. Based on what I witnessed in Royal Oak on Friday, October 15^th, they don't have anything to worry about...yet.

The bars of Royal Oak were bustling, and the few smokers that I did witness outside did not seem to be terribly upset that they had to come outside to smoke. One gentleman that I spoke with thought the measure was a good idea, as he claimed that when businesses allowed smoking inside, he tended to smoke more than he really wanted to.

But as the temperatures drop and winter takes hold of the city (and state), will smokers avoid businesses because they have to smoke out in the cold? I am betting no, as staying home with friends simply cannot recreate the feeling of being at the pub. One guy I spoke with outside of the Royal Oak Brewery (a restaurant/bar) even claimed, "If it gets cold enough, I just might have to quit", meaning the cigarettes, not visiting the bar. I'm betting most visitors to Royal Oak will feel the same way, but time and colder temperatures will tell.