Bloomberg: 6,000 more bars and restaurants in NYC since 2003 smoking ban


Mayor Michael Bloomberg and city officials discuss the impact of the 2003 Smoke-Free Air Act on its 10th Anniversary at the Old Town Bar in Manhattan.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Mayor Michael Bloomberg said there's strong economic proof that the 2003 Smoke-Free Air Act is responsible for a 47 percent surge in the number of restaurants and bars in the city.

The 6,000 additional restaurants and bars are responding to a demand from tourists and city dwellers alike, who find the atmosphere more welcoming, he said. He cited other numbers to bolster his case: An all-time record 52 million visitors to the city last year, who poured $55 billion into the local economy, and a corresponding surge in the number of workers in related hospitality fields.

"All of this points to the fact that being smoke-free made bars and restaurants more welcoming and successful -- not less," Bloomberg said in his weekly radio address.

Beyond the economic impact, he said the landmark legislation is making the city a healthier place: "I can't tell you how many restaurant workers have told me what a difference it has made in their lives," he said. Bloomberg pointed to a three-year jump in life expectancy as evidence that the Smoke-Free Air Act is at least in part contributing to a healthier city.

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He also used the news to promote his broader health platform in New York City, which includes a cap on the size of sugary drinks, and further restrictions on smoking. The mayor has faced intense criticism over the measures, in large part from those who say he's promulgating a "nanny-state" government.

He brushed such concerns aside on Sunday: "Our Administration has never been afraid to take bold steps to improve the quality of life in New York City; and some of the efforts that initially faced the most resistance have turned out to be the most popular -- and the most effective."