# What major US cities still allow smoking in bars/restaurants? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 16, 2009, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-major-us-cities-still-allow-smoking-in-bars-restaurants/506647 "2009-08-16T18:45:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2009, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-major-us-cities-still-allow-smoking-in-bars-restaurants/506647/1 "2009-08-16T18:45:35Z")
I don’t want to get into another debate on smoking bans. I was trying to think of some major cities which still allow smoking in bars and restaurants. I think Las Vegas has a few more restrictions than it used to, but I highly doubt Las Vegas is smoke free. Florida, I believe, bans smoking in restaurants but not bars if they make most of their money from alcohol sales. I think smoking is still allowed in some Texas cities. I know Dallas, Austin, and El Paso have banned it, but not sure about Ft. Worth or San Antonio ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2009, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-major-us-cities-still-allow-smoking-in-bars-restaurants/506647/2 "2009-08-16T18:46:20Z")
The NC ban starts on Jan 2. Private clubs are exempt from the ban. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2009, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-major-us-cities-still-allow-smoking-in-bars-restaurants/506647/3 "2009-08-16T18:52:03Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > The NC ban starts on Jan 2. Private clubs are exempt from the ban. You can’t smoke in Winston/Salem North Carolina? ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2009, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-major-us-cities-still-allow-smoking-in-bars-restaurants/506647/4 "2009-08-16T18:53:00Z")
You can still smoke in some bars in Dallas, TX, but not restaurants. It’s the same deal as what you describe in Florida. Many bars still seem to be smoke free, however, one assumes voluntarily–I guess the tide has turned on that sort of thing. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2009, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-major-us-cities-still-allow-smoking-in-bars-restaurants/506647/5 "2009-08-16T18:56:54Z")
> [@MandaJo](#): > > You can still smoke in some bars in Dallas, TX, but not restaurants. It’s the same deal as what you describe in Florida. > > Many bars still seem to be smoke free, however, one assumes voluntarily–I guess the tide has turned on that sort of thing. In Dallas county or Dallas city? [Smoking ban article](http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/DN-dalcouncil_09met.ART0.Central.Edition1.4a7fcc0.html) ---
**Author:** ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2009, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-major-us-cities-still-allow-smoking-in-bars-restaurants/506647/6 "2009-08-16T19:02:46Z")
New Orleans allows smoking in bars, and Nevada is still OK with smoking in both bars and casinos, and may even still (its been a few months since I have visited) have “smoking sections” in regular resturants… ---
**Author:** ![Claire\_Beauchamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ec9cab/32.png) [@Claire\_Beauchamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claire_Beauchamp)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2009, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-major-us-cities-still-allow-smoking-in-bars-restaurants/506647/7 "2009-08-16T19:17:40Z")
There is a ban in Tennessee statewide in restaurants and other indoor public areas. Outdoor areas are exempt. An exception for indoors can be made if the venue declares itself 21-and-over, and there are other exemptions listed here: [http://health.state.tn.us/smokefreetennessee/faq.htm](http://health.state.tn.us/smokefreetennessee/faq.htm). In Nashville, there are true real “bars” since any place that serves alcohol has to serve food. The places where the food is cursory at best are the most likely to have gone the 21-over route, but they are pretty few and far between. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2009, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-major-us-cities-still-allow-smoking-in-bars-restaurants/506647/8 "2009-08-16T19:21:28Z")
According to [wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_smoking_bans_in_the_United_States), these cities do not ban all smoking in bars and restaurants: Arlington, Atlanta, Detroit, Fort Worth, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Memphis, Miami, Las Vegas, Nashville, Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, San Antonio, St. Louis, Tampa, Tulsa, Virginia Beach, and Wichita. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2009, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-major-us-cities-still-allow-smoking-in-bars-restaurants/506647/9 "2009-08-16T19:57:19Z")
In Missouri, smoking bans are quite rare. A few smaller, more progressive suburbs have partial bans and there are a few total bans, but mostly the whole ban-smoking movement isn’t \*quite \* here yet. So pretty much everywhere in greater St. Louis (not to mention the out-counties) you can smoke at will. We are finally getting some serious support for local bans which will go into effect once enough other places pass them. Right now we’re still stuck at the stage where no one city/burb wants to go first & face the activism of its restauranteurs. The fact that in the rest of the US, business has gone UP when smoking was banned has not stopped the pro-smoking crowd from carrying the day. So far. Interestingly, the one and only Wiki edit in my life was to the smoking ban page \*\*Little Nemo \*\*cites. When my local 'burb passed a partial smoking ban which was \*de facto \*almost a total ban I entered that in the list. My edit was immedately removed by somebody who rewrote my input to make it sound like the ban had been mostly defeated and smoking was universally allowed in our town. … Politics. Nasty business. ---
**Author:** ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2009, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-major-us-cities-still-allow-smoking-in-bars-restaurants/506647/10 "2009-08-16T20:07:17Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > According to [wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_smoking_bans_in_the_United_States), these cities do not ban all smoking in bars and restaurants: Arlington, Atlanta, Detroit, Fort Worth, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Memphis, Miami, Las Vegas, Nashville, Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, San Antonio, St. Louis, Tampa, Tulsa, Virginia Beach, and Wichita. Unless the laws have changed in the past two months, New Orleans should be on this list… ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2009, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-major-us-cities-still-allow-smoking-in-bars-restaurants/506647/11 "2009-08-16T20:36:41Z")
I think Atlantic City postponed the ban from its casinos until October or so of this year. Was just there a month or two ago, and while it’s wayyyy down, there was still open smoking at a couple craps tables. Don’t know if it was with the casino’s approval (Tropicana) or they just weren’t hassling anyone. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2009, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-major-us-cities-still-allow-smoking-in-bars-restaurants/506647/12 "2009-08-16T20:39:45Z")
Damn Detroit. You smell like smoke after stopping off for a couple beers. ---
**Author:** ![janeslogin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@janeslogin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janeslogin)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2009, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-major-us-cities-still-allow-smoking-in-bars-restaurants/506647/13 "2009-08-16T22:07:55Z")
In Nevada as of a few weeks ago, with exceptions, one can smoke in a casino bar that does not \*serve \*food. One can have food delivered to the bar and eat it there, they just cannot serve it. There were some exceptions. These may have all timed out. ---
**Author:** ![Uncle\_Brother\_Walker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f08c70/32.png) [@Uncle\_Brother\_Walker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncle_Brother_Walker)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2009, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-major-us-cities-still-allow-smoking-in-bars-restaurants/506647/14 "2009-08-16T22:34:30Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > Damn Detroit. You smell like smoke after stopping off for a couple beers. …after a hard day’s work at the factory. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2009, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-major-us-cities-still-allow-smoking-in-bars-restaurants/506647/15 "2009-08-16T22:40:58Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > In Dallas county or Dallas city? > > [Smoking ban article](http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/DN-dalcouncil_09met.ART0.Central.Edition1.4a7fcc0.html) Hmmmm . . .I guess I haven’t been out drinking in a while. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![glowacks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/glowacks/32/5548_2.png) [@glowacks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glowacks)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2009, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-major-us-cities-still-allow-smoking-in-bars-restaurants/506647/16 "2009-08-17T03:56:18Z")
> **[Michigan House OKs smoking ban with exceptions](https://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20090526/FREE/905269943/michigan-house-oks-smoking-ban-with-exceptions)** > > The Democrat-led Michigan House approved a bill by a 73-31 vote Tuesday that would ban smoking at most workplaces including restaurants and bars. But it does not appear a compromise has been reached with the Republican-led Senate on a final version... That’s probably the most recent information on the status of Michigan’s attempt to ban smoking in workplaces. Not in the article is about how much the Detroit casinos are against such a ban. The Windsor casino across the border has been smoke-free since summer 2006; a cursory Google search failed to find information on how its market share has changed since then. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2009, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-major-us-cities-still-allow-smoking-in-bars-restaurants/506647/17 "2009-08-17T04:47:34Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > Florida, I believe, bans smoking in restaurants but not bars if they make most of their money from alcohol sales. [Specificall](http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=Ch0386/part02.htm&StatuteYear=2008&Title=-%3E2008-%3EChapter%20386-%3EPart%20II)y, the bar must be a “stand-alone”, that is, operate on its own premises and derive no more than 10% of its income from the sale of food. You can also smoke (unsurprisingly) in retail tobacco shops, with no set percentage revenue requirements. A couple of court cases have established that 50+% of gross revenues should come from tobacco sales for a business to qualify. Incidentally, there are no additional municipal smoking bans in place in Florida, as the above-linked statute expressly reserves all power to regulate smoking within the state to the legislature. ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2009, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-major-us-cities-still-allow-smoking-in-bars-restaurants/506647/18 "2009-08-17T07:37:55Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > In Missouri, smoking bans are quite rare. A few smaller, more progressive suburbs have partial bans and there are a few total bans, but mostly the whole ban-smoking movement isn’t \*quite \* here yet. So pretty much everywhere in greater St. Louis (not to mention the out-counties) you can smoke at will. [Kansas City](http://www.kcmo.org/health.nsf/web/smokeord), on the other hand, has a ban in place. Quite a few of the cities in its metro area do as well nowadays. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2009, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-major-us-cities-still-allow-smoking-in-bars-restaurants/506647/19 "2009-08-17T14:54:04Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > [Specificall](http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=Ch0386/part02.htm&StatuteYear=2008&Title=-%3E2008-%3EChapter%20386-%3EPart%20II)y, the bar must be a “stand-alone”, that is, operate on its own premises and derive no more than 10% of its income from the sale of food. > > You can also smoke (unsurprisingly) in retail tobacco shops, with no set percentage revenue requirements. A couple of court cases have established that 50+% of gross revenues should come from tobacco sales for a business to qualify. > > Incidentally, there are no additional municipal smoking bans in place in Florida, as the above-linked statute expressly reserves all power to regulate smoking within the state to the legislature. Right, and it is enshrined in the state constitution now. To go the rest of the way and get a complete ban, it would require a 60% vote by the voters at the next election. It was pretty restrictive in 2002 when it was passed, but it is pretty lax by modern “ban” standards. ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2009, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-major-us-cities-still-allow-smoking-in-bars-restaurants/506647/20 "2009-08-18T00:36:37Z")
> [@glowacks](#): > > [http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20090526/FREE/905269943#](http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20090526/FREE/905269943#) > > That’s probably the most recent information on the status of Michigan’s attempt to ban smoking in workplaces. Not in the article is about how much the Detroit casinos are against such a ban. The Windsor casino across the border has been smoke-free since summer 2006; a cursory Google search failed to find information on how its market share has changed since then. With Border controls and hassles crossing over, at least for Canadians into the States, it may not have lost market share. Declan [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-major-us-cities-still-allow-smoking-in-bars-restaurants/506647.md?page=2)