Nevada Debates Foodservice and Smoking In Bars

Bar and tavern owners in Nevada are seeking to ease restrictions on indoor smoking, arguing that the state’s law intended to protect the health of children and families has crippled their businesses by barring them from serving food if they allow smoking.

Nevada’s 2006 Clean Indoor Air Act only allows smoking in casinos, taverns, saloons and stand-alone bars—where patrons must be 21 or older—and where food is considered an "incidental" component of the business. Bar and tavern owners say the act’s only effect has been to hurt their businesses by barring them from cooking and serving food to customers. Roger Sachs of the Nevada Tavern Owner’s Association told lawmakers that the ban forced members to lay off about 750 kitchen employees in ’07.

Assembly Bill 571 would allow age-restricted stand-alone bars, taverns and saloons to again serve food prepared on site. The amendment’s sponsor says it would tighten current law by fining tavern owners for allowing minors in a bar where smoking is permitted and food is served.