Bust Out The Glittens, Chicagoland Smokers

By Laura Oppenheimer in News on Jan 2, 2008 3:27PM

Smokers, meet Winter. Winter, smokers. Timed perfectly with a bone-chilling cold, Illinois's smoking ban went into effect at midnight, Jan. 1.

Not surprisingly, some are thrilled. The Sun-Times checks in with bartenders and finds that—shock!—they are happy to be able to work in a smoke-free environment. The Trib wonders if there will be an adverse effect on bars and restaurants, while querying if smoking bans even have an effect on the number of adults who smoke. From the Trib:

Little evidence exists to conclusively link smoking bans to changes in adult smoking rates, although research shows the incidence declined in places where high cigarette taxes and anti-tobacco advertising accompanied such restrictions. California, for instance, saw its smoking rate dip from 17.5 percent in 1998 to 13.3 percent in 2006 after a two-tiered ban took effect in 1995 and 1998, the state's health department reports.

Whether it does or doesn't have a huge impact on the number of adults who smoke, we can't argue that a smoke-free Illinois won't be better for all of our lungs. We remember when our favorite watering hole in college was found to be so smoky, that if it was outside, it would have been labeled a hazardous site by the EPA (it had 95 times more pollutants than the average non-smoking setting.) So we're excited those who work in bars, or frequent bars on a regular basis, can expect to breathe easier now (and do less laundry too, after a night on the town.)

Of course, what Chicagoist is most concerned about, is that smokers be properly dressed to brave the cold when enjoying their cigarettes. To this end, we cannot recommend highly enough, the glitten. Keeps your hands warm, while still allowing you to hold on, daintily, to your Marlboro. Genius.

Image via Fig and Plum.