Economic Impact of Oklahoma's Smoke-Free Air Policies on Restaurants.

A comparison of sales tax and employment data from before and after the new statewide secondhand smoke laws took effect on March 1, 2006, finds that both revenue and employment levels have increased for Oklahoma restaurants since imposition of the new rules. Furthermore, comparing revenue and employment levels across states, with Kansas, and controlling for changes in overall economic activity, shows that Oklahoma has done relatively better than Kansas, since imposition of the new law. Kansas had no similar change to its restaurant smoking rules, which still largely permitted smoking, during the study timeframe.