It's really sad, Randall, the thousands of businesses that have closed over the past years because of the smoking ban. But do you think the media will tell us about them? HA!
I am asking this out of a sincere desire to understand, not to be sarcastic or liberal. I'm ignorant about this because I don't smoke. Here goes:
Why would restaurants go out of business because no smoking is permitted? Don't smokers still get just as hungry? Don't nonsmokers go out to eat? In an upscale place like Howard County, most people don't smoke anyway, so I wouldn't think the customer base in Columbia would be much affected by a smoking ban. As it is you hardly see anybody smoking anymore, except for the poor, who aren't a big source of revenue to Howard County restaurant owners.
I am not trying to argue, just trying to understand.