Permission to Smoke

Some New York counties are granting exemptions from the state's smoking ban to bars and restaurants that lose business as a result of the law. The New York Times reports that the first waiver went to Damons, a bar in Cicero that saw a 40 percent drop in revenue after the ban kicked in. Now Damons has a smoking lounge. The Empire State Restaurant and Tavern Association estimates that a tenth of New York establishments with alcohol licenses will be able to obtain waivers, the criteria for which vary from one jurisdiction to another. New York City is not granting any.