The state health department and anti-smoking advocates launched an $800,000 marketing campaign Wednesday to educate Coloradans about the statewide smoking ban that takes effect July 1.
Bars and restaurants will receive help training employees to enforce the ban. Consumers and owners with questions can turn to a website and toll-free number. And the groups plan to launch statewide television and local print advertisements.
Coalition representatives kicked off the campaign by releasing two surveys that show restaurant and bar owners, who are worried the ban will hurt their businesses, overestimate the number of smokers in the state and therefore underestimate the positive impact nonsmokers will have on their bottom lines.
Chris Sherwin of the Colorado Tobacco Education and Prevention Alliance said the data show that Coloradans will be more likely to visit bars and restaurants after the ban goes into effect.
“Given time, we’re going to see increased support among the general public and especially business owners as they see this is great for their business,” he said. “Their employees will love it. Their customers will love it, as they get to market to a huge, untapped segment of the population.”
But bar owners have argued for months that the ban could cut their business by 20 percent to 70 percent.
Chuck Ford, who lobbied against the law on behalf of bar and tavern owners, said his clients’ customers tell them “they won’t frequent a place where they can’t have a beer and a cigarette. … We’re aware the market favors nonsmokers, so why not just let the market decide?”
Ford said he has raised enough money to ask a court to stop the ban from going into effect and hopes to file the lawsuit by next week.
“My folks know their business. Anytime you have a state bureaucrat get up and say they can run a business better, they’re just blowing smoke,” Ford said.
Television ads with the tagline “good health is good business” will begin airing in mid-June and run through the middle of July, said Karen DeLeeuw, director of the state’s Tobacco Education and Prevention Partnership.
The coalition also is sending to businesses tool kits that were developed after talking to owners. Kits include signs, window stickers and training pamphlets.
On Monday, consumers with questions will be able to call 888-701-2006 or go to smokefreecolorado.org.
The website will include fact sheets, frequently asked questions and information about quitting smoking.
The entire campaign, DeLeeuw said, is paid for using state tobacco taxes.
Staff writer Chris Frates can be reached at 303-820-1633 or cfrates@denverpost.com.
