Nonsmoking venues are catching on

Tri-City area smokers and nonsmokers alike enjoy the benefits of smoke-free bars in Morgan City’s downtown area after work and on the weekend.
Smokers across the nation who want to quit will take part in the American Cancer Society Great American Smokeout campaign Thursday. It is recognized every year on the third Thursday in November.
Smokers are encouraged to use the date to make a plan to quit or plan in advance and then quit smoking that day.
According to the American Cancer Society’s website, “research shows that smokers who have support are more likely to quit for good.”
Lori Broussard, owner of The Drink House on Railroad Avenue, intentionally created a smoke-free bar in Morgan City. It has been 3½ years.
“I was a longtime smoker and I quit,” Broussard said. “I didn’t want to be bombarded with it all day long.
“I just decided, let’s see if this works. I’ve gotten mixed responses from it.”
Some smokers as well non-smokers have responded well to the smoke-free environment at The Drink House.
“I’ve had some really awesome responses from the community,” Broussard said. “For a lot of people, it’s really the only place for them to go because they can’t handle anywhere else.”
Travis Fugate, 28, has been a loyal customer of The Drink House since it opened. He is also a smoker.
Besides the drink specials, The Drink House’s smoke-free atmosphere keeps Fugate coming back: “I don’t like going home smelling like smoke.”
Russell Murray, 25, and David Eisenhour, 30, unwind after the work day at The Drink House. Both work in Morgan City.
Murray lives in Houma, and Eisenhour in Thibodaux.
Murray, a smoker, has been a patron for over 1½ years. Eisenhour, a non-smoker, has been a customer four to five months.
“It always has a great atmosphere,” Murray said. “After a long day, it’s easy to come here and have a couple of beers.”
“As a smoker as well, it’s a plus” coming to a smoke-free bar, Murray said.
“Even smokers know when smoke gets in your eyes it burns …,” Murray said.
“A lot of my friends that do not smoke would like to come here because it’s a non-smoking bar. They don’t want to deal with it (smoke).”
Eisenhour was invited to the bar by Murray. Eisenhour was unaware the bar was smoke-free.
“I’m not a smoker,” Eisenhour said.
The Drink House is Eisenhour’s first choice for bars.
“Coming here is a plus,” Eisenhour said.
Bartender Macee Guarisco, 24, has worked at The Drink House for two years. This is her first bartending job.
She prefers the smoke-free environment.
“I’m a smoker, too,” Guarisco said. “But I could not work in a bar that allowed smoking.
“Most people love it here. The majority of the people love that they can come here and not smell like a cigarette after they leave.
“And they can breathe. And they don’t have a headache when they wake up in the morning just from being around cigarette smoke.
“It’s cleaner, and people like that, too.”
There are a few people who get mad about the no-smoking status.
“But they’re usually the people you don’t want in here anyway,” Guarisco said. “I smoke, but it’s gross.”
A neighboring restaurant and bar, Latin Corner, was founded with the idea of being smoke-free.
The Latin Corner has been opened for business 13 years and has been smoke free since its inception. According to tripadvisor.com, it is rated No. 2 of 46 restaurants in Morgan City.
“We are smoke-free all the way,” said Latin Corner owner Frank Sterling. “We don’t like smoke.”
No one has really commented on the restaurant and bar owner’s decision to be a smoke-free zone, Sterling said.
“We don’t even allow the electronic cigarette either,” Sterling said.
The Great American Smokeout event challenges people to stop using tobacco. It helps people know about the many tools they can use to help them quit and remain tobacco free.
Annual Great American Smokeout campaigns started in the 1970s. Smoking and secondhand smoke were very common during that time.
“The risk of developing lung cancer is about 23 times higher in male smokers and 13 times higher in female smokers, compared to lifelong non-smokers,” said the American Cancer Society website. “Nearly one in five deaths in the U.S. is related to smoking.”
In addition to causing lung cancer, smoking also causes cancer of the larynx (voice box), mouth, sinuses, pharynx (throat), esophagus and bladder. There is also evidence linking the development of cancers of the pancreas, cervix, ovary, colon/rectum, kidney, stomach, and some types of leukemia to smoking.
Cigars and pipes also cause cancer.