Tom's Home Cookin', Denver: Secondhand Smoke can be Deadly

Tom’s Home Cookin’ has been in business for four years, and we have never allowed any smoking in our restaurant whatsoever, yet our business has steadily increased year after year. Being smoke free has not hurt our business one bit.

We visited San Francisco in October of 2001 and discovered that even all the bars are smoke free. And they were jammed with people, elbow to elbow. Obviously in that city, bar owners were still making money, in spite of being smoke free.

Last summer, we went into a LoDo restaurant, continually listed as one of Denver’s Top 10 restaurants. The restaurant allowed smoking “at the bar only.” We were not aware of this as we entered. In spite of having “smoke eaters” and a “smoking section,” I still suffered a massive asthma attack while standing at the hostess station.

If I had not had my rescue inhaler handy, I would have ended up in the emergency room. Needless to say, that restaurant lost my business that evening and for the future. Second-hand smoke does not stay confined to the “smoking” sections.

For decades, smokers have told non-smokers, “my smoke isn’t hurting you.” But the truth is now known. Second-hand smoke does hurt other non-smoking patrons.

It’s time Denver became smoke free.

Steve Jankousky, Co-Owner

Tom's Home Cookin', Denver

800 East 26th Ave, 80205

(303)388-8035