[seedman81]

The source would be...me. That was just my observation in my neck of the Greater Central Valley. It seems to me that people are still frequenting the local drinking establishments regardless of the ban as smoking is allowed outside the bar (open air). Have you found it to be different where you are?

[demsux]

Like I said, our town voted down the smoking ban.

Partly because a town a few miles west of us enacted a smoking ban and several restaurants have already moved to other areas.

[Namyak]

The difference between California Great Central Valley and Scranton is one of weather. The Great Central Valley has no equivalent of the Scranton winter, where temperatures routinely drops into the teens once the sun goes down. Not conducive to standing outside for the length of time it takes to smoke a cigarette, so when faced with this choice, most smokers will patronize establishments outside the Scranton city limits, or just go home. There's 4 months of lean time for the bar of Scranton, and the 4 months which are supposed to be their most successful.