Bar Sales

On May 1, you reported that the American Beverage Institute released a study that said that California bars have incurred a 26% cut in sales since a smoking ban went into effect on Jan. 1. I have two related questions, both assuming the study to be accurate: Why is this a bad thing? Has the number of drunk-driving incidents also gone down?

BOB STOCK

Los Angeles

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As a bar owner, I am so tired of people like Stanton Glantz at UC San Francisco and Cynthia Hallett of Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights, with their know-it-all comments regarding the smoking ban.

Read my lips, our sales are down substantially. My sales are off nearly 40% since January. If you don’t believe me, ask my employees who have had their hours cut, with more cuts to come. February, March and April were the worst months in my 14 years of business.

MARK GORSKI

San Diego