Child-Free dining: A smoking ban backfires.

• Author: Freund, Charles Paul
• Position: Citings - Manitoba restaurants keep smoke and bar children - Brief Article

CHILLY WINNIPEG, Manitoba's metropolis, kicked off its new year with the best of intentions, at least from the viewpoint of smoke prohibitionists. In an effort to separate children from ambient smoke, the Canadian city banned smoking, beginning January I, in those establishments where minors are present. By January 2, however, it was apparent that the consequences of the new law were not exactly what the lawmakers had envisioned. A number of Winnipeg establishments had opted to keep the smoke and ban the kids instead.

According to Toronto's Globe and Mail, numerous Winnipeg restaurants, delicatessens, and donut shops have continued to allow smoking. To abide by the new law, however, they have had to fire any employees under 18 and must refuse service to children or adults accompanied by children.

A donut shop manager explained the logic behind the changes. "We tried to obey the bylaw for one day and we lost half our business," she told The Globe and Mail. "But now that we've allowed smoking and banned minors, our business has doubled today January 4]."

It seems not to have occurred to the city's lawmakers that business owners might react this way. Local lawmaker Mark...