There was almost no difference in the number of people employed by bars and restaurants in communities with smoking bans vs. those that permitted smoking, researchers at Ohio State University and the University of Minnesota found in studying the effects of no-smoking policies in Minnesota.

The study was led by Elizabeth Klein, an assistant professor of health behavior and health promotion at Ohio State. The results support uniform, statewide anti-smoking policies, Klein said.

"In the end, we can say there isn't a significant economic effect by type of clean indoor air policy, which should give us more support for maintaining the most beneficial public health policies," she said.

No one has comprehensively studied the economic effects of Ohio's statewide smoking ban since authorities began enforcing it two years ago.

Many bars have reported drops in business, but it's difficult to split the effects of the no-smoking policy from those of the general economic downturn in the same period.

Jacob Evans, lobbyist for the Ohio Licensed Beverage Association, a trade group of bars and restaurants, said member businesses have reported losses of business of 30 percent to 35 percent in the past two years. On average, bars have laid off 1 1/2 employees since the ban took effect, Evans said.

"Obviously, an economic recession affects bars just as it does many other industries," Evans said. "However, if you add in a smoking ban, it makes it that much worse."

The American Cancer Society, a sponsor of the 2006 ballot measure to ban smoking in businesses in Ohio, said the Ohio State/Minnesota study confirms the wisdom of the Ohio policy.

"More than 80 percent of the Ohio voters favor smoke-free public places," society spokeswoman Ana Titus said, citing a public-opinion poll by the group. "Additionally, Ohioans that we hear from every day enjoy living in communities and visiting establishments with responsible smoke-free laws."

The OSU/Minnesota study found that communities banning smoking had nearly nine fewer employees per 10,000 residents compared with communities that permit smoking in bars, the study said. However, communities with partial or complete smoking bans had three more employees per 10,000 residents compared with cities with no tobacco restrictions.

Researchers examined publicly available employment data for restaurants and bars but did not look at revenue or profit, which are not public information.

The study spanned 2003 through 2006, before Minnesota established a statewide smoking ban in 2007.

Similarly, Ohio had a patchwork of local smoking ordinances before voters adopted a statewide ban in 2006. The ban took effect in May 2007.

jnash@dispatch.com