This is true, but its one thing when markets change naturally over time, and quite another when government just shuts you down.
It doesn't matter what is the cause of the change of business climate... ADAPT OR DIE. This guy had pleanty of opportunity, he knew the laws were changing... and should have started adapting to it before it happened.. it didn't sneak up on him.
Often times a business leader can be subject to a sudden change they have no way of knowing is coming.. this guy had pleanty of time to make a plan and start adapting... he did nothing.
Even after the change he has still done nothing. You think this is the first person or business to have to deal with government regulatory changes impacting his business? Hell no.. its part of life. This guy is going to be out of business not because of the smoking ban,but because of his own failure to adapt.
He's spending his time trying to keep things status quo, when he should be marketing and changing his business so it can capitalize on the new environment. I gurantee his competitors are, and I can find other bar owners in this same area that are seeing their crowds increase and profits grow... because they have adapted and the folks who adapted first, and were the first movers will be the ones who benefit the most.
Guys like this one, who refuse to adjust and instead of focusing on improving his business are focused on trying to keep things they way they were are going to die, and while they can blame the smoking ban for it, the real reason they are going to die is their own failure to adapt.