Texas has yet to snuff out smoking all together but a bill on its way to the Texas state senate could do just that.
If passed, the bill would ban smoking in public places.
In North Texas, several cities have already taken measures to cut back or ban smoking in bars, restaurants and municipal buildings.
The general manager of Sherlock's Baker Street Pub in Addison, Keith Evans remembers when the City of Dallas banned smoking a few years ago.
"We saw a ten to 15 percent increase instantly. But on the other side, in Dallas, we saw that ten to 15 percent decrease," said Evans. "Some of our stores happen to be right on the non-smoking line. And it hurt them. Some of them happened to be on the smoking line and it helped them."
Evans said he is not opposed to the measure for his business. Even though he has spent several thousand dollars on a ventilation and air-cleaning system at his Addison location, he just wants to see a level playing field for all the businesses.
But smokers like Kevin Adams aren't fans of the measure. Adams said it's getting harder for him to light up in a public place.
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"The normal areas we used to go to have now been banned you know. You don't want to sit
out in 100 degree weather and smoke, get dehydrated," said Adams. "I don't know if it'll make me stay home, but it's a very big inconvenience."
Cooks, bartenders and servers working in the smokey environment admit that smokers tip better, but aren't opposed to a healthier work environment.
"I"d be happy. There wouldn't be a big cloud of smoke. I wouldn't go home smelling so horrible every night," said Jill Kohlschmidt, an employee at Sherlock's Baker Street Pub.
