Despite Eugene’s efforts to curtail smoking in bars and taverns, more than a dozen establishments still allow smoking indoors, thanks to extensions granted by the city in July.
Businesses that are currently building outdoor smoking areas can continue to allow patrons to smoke inside until the end of the year, though it remains a financial toss-up whether or not non-smoking bars may see a loss in business, as compared to those that allow smoking.
Of the 31 bars and taverns that were granted extensions after the first of July, 18 were given deadlines of Sept. 15 to build outdoor smoking areas before the ban would be enforced.
The handful of bars that faced the shortened deadline said the change was unfair.
“We’re in a no-win situation,” said Chris Jefferis, assistant manager at the Wild Duck Brewery. “We’ll just have to play it by ear and see what happens.”
The Wild Duck Brewery already has some seating outside, but Jefferis said he’s unsure whether it will be enough compared to other businesses that have months to build extensive outdoor smoking areas.
It isn’t just bars close to the University area that are worried about the financial effects of the smoking ban.
“It’s a bum deal overall,” said Shon O’Donnell, manager of O’Donnell’s Irish Pub on Highway 99.
The new ordinance has forced O’Donnell to build an outdoor deck for smoking, but, like Jefferis and the Wild Duck, O’Donnell doesn’t know if that will help things. While he estimates business could go down somewhere between 10 and 25 percent once the smoking ban is enforced at his bar this month, O’Donnell also admits that every establishment is different, and no one can predict what will happen.
Eugene smokers have to make a few changes, including moving outside to light up their cigarettes.
“Who knows, the smoking could creep back in six months,” O’Donnell said.
Jewel Farrell, owner of Joggers Bar & Grill, said she really hasn’t noticed any change in business this summer because “everyone is still pretty much allowing smoking.”
Despite the fact that Joggers is one of the few businesses that received an extension to allow smoking through the end of the year, Farrell said she doesn’t know if that will help or hurt business.
“It’s going to go one way or another, but no one knows,” she said.
She added she has plans to build a deck for an outdoor smoking area, but construction has not begun.
Since the city began enforcing the smoking ban in bars and taverns July 1, Tobacco Free Lane County’s complaint line has received about 15 complaints concerning businesses that should be smoke-free by now, said Elizabeth Miglioretto, public health educator for the Lane County Health Department. The complaints are only for businesses that don’t have extensions under the smoking ban, she said.
Once a complaint is filed, Lane County Health Department sends a letter and information about the ordinance and what the new code requires. All responsible parties including business and property owners are informed, Miglioretto said. If another complaint is filed at the same location, a phone call is made to the owners. After the third complaint, the Eugene officials take over the situation and written testimony is required in order for more fines to be given.
So far, no one has received a fine for violating the ordinance, Miglioretto said.
Tobacco Free Lane County encourages people to call the Tobacco Information Line at 682-6687 for questions, concerns and smoking complaints.
The following businesses can allow smoking though the end of the year while construction continues: The Downtown Lounge, G. Willicker’s, Jo Federigo’s, Joggers Bar & Grill, Lucky’s Club Cigar Store, Max’s Tavern and Rennie’s Landing.
