Smoking Ban hasn't Burned Eateries

It's been almost two years since he could legally enjoy a smoke in the average bar-restaurant in Pennsylvania.

But the ban hasn't greatly affected where he eats and drinks, or how often.

He just steps outside to smoke -- as he tended to do before the ban.

"I always figured, Why should I let my problem become someone else's problem?" said Evans, 55, of Newville.

Pennsylvania's indoor smoking ban in public places turns 2 on Saturday.

Contrary to the fears of some bar-restaurant owners, it doesn't seem to have caused many smokers to kick their habit of going out to eat or drink.

"Business has actually increased because of it, so I can't complain too much," said Stephen Weinstock, owner of Stocks on Second in Harrisburg.

Jack Hench, owner of Ye Olde Ale House in Hampden Twp., was one who worried the ban would hurt sales.

Yet Hench, a nonsmoker, also realized that cigarette smoke made it impossible to see across his establishment on Friday nights.