MINNEAPOLIS, May 1, 2008—A report in the Duluth News Tribune says that taxes collected from bars by the city of Duluth have rolled in at the same pace as before the Freedom to Breathe law went into effect last October.

Anecdotal evidence gathered by the paper supported the conclusion, the report said, as does the fact that the city clerk’s office has not noticed a rise in bars going out of business.

There have been numerous claims that bars and taverns are an endangered species because of the state's law banning smoking in the workplace. Many in the hospitality industry were sure that patrons would drink at home now that it is no longer possible to light up in a bar.

But Duluth records show that food-and-beverage taxes collected by the city have been rising over the past couple of years, not falling. And the first five months of post-ban data show a continuation of that positive trend.

Duluth News Tribune article