Smoking may be considered one of civilization’s longest traditions that has thrived through centuries and crossed cultures. But as of late, perhaps in a sign of the changing times, nations are declaring wars on smoking using ammunition that ranges from restrictions on advertising to making entire countries smoke-free in public places. Ireland may have been the most shocking example when in March it ruined a longtime esteemed custom: smoking inside its roughly 10,000 pubs.

The American public has not been untouched by the effort. Currently about 1,600 to 1,800 jurisdictions around the country have various bans on smoking in workplaces or indoor public places, according to the Breathe Easy Washington political action coalition. The states of New York and California are among those that have statewide smoke-free workplaces.

In Washington, anti-smoking advocates say the state’s Clean Air Act that exempts several types of establishments — restaurants, bars, bowling alley and casinos — should be changed. While the Tacoma-Pierce County Board of Health tried to convince the public and the courts why its new ban for such establishments should stand, supporters have been working away at a similar restriction statewide.

Smokers around Pierce County heard something like this in the last six months: “You can’t smoke there….Wait… yes, you can…. Nope, you can’t….OK, you can,” depending on whose side of the court of justice the ball was at the time. The health board reportedly said it would appeal the latest June ruling to the state Supreme Court.

Owners of the affected businesses said the ban adversely impacted them, and many had refused to enforce the rule.

“My business in the bar went down to nothing, especially with us being so remote out here,” said LuLu Smith, owner of Lulu’s Homeport Restaurant on the Key Peninsula. A smoker herself, Smith made her restaurant (with the exception of the bar) smoke-free a few months before the county introduced its ban, saying she likes having a clean atmosphere much better. But the bar patrons, she said, are not very interested in staying if they can’t light up—and that hits her bottom line.

The Kitsap County Health District has been trying to show business owners that the bottom line can have a positive impact if they go smoke-free. The agency has been promoting smoke-free establishments with a “Serve Fresh Air” campaign and a similar one for public housing. The last printed guide featured about 230 restaurants and lodging facilities.

“This is an emerging issue,” said Barbara Smithson, a health educator with the KCHD. “We provide businesses with information about why it’s a good business decision… because we know they do have a bottom line to meet.”

What effect a ban would have may be questionable. Both sides present opposite arguments and figures to prove them. But some of the feedback from Kitsap businesses that voluntarily prohibit smoking could be encouraging. Feedback such as this, shared with the health district by Daryl Jesson, manager of the Family Pancake House in Bremerton: “When we changed to become a smoke free restaurant, our sales began to decrease and then they started going up and are still increasing. Customers are really pleased when they come in and ask for non-smoking seating and find out that we are smoke free.”

Leanne Noren, chief operations officer with the American Lung Association of Washington, said there is a groundswell of interest and action among counties for “doing what is right for their residents.” “Indoor air quality is important for everyone because we spend 95 percent of our time indoors,” she said. “We believe in clean air for everyone.” She said efforts like this usually happen in stages and frequently go “two steps forward and one step back” but that the example of Pierce County may propel others to consider the issue more urgently. The ALA works together with the American Cancer Society and campaign like Breathe Easy Washington at the grass-roots level. The groups have also been lobbying the state Legislature but bills supporting their efforts were buried last session.

Both the Kitsap County administration and the health district said there is no related discussion on the table. “There is no activity on the part of the health district to bring a ban at the present time,” said Scott Daniels, deputy director. “We are not going to pursue it at the current time at the recommendation of our health officers.”

The discussion may not be needed, if the statewide campaign by Breathe Easy Washington succeeds. The group, supported by organizations including the American Lung Association, the American Cancer Society and local health-care groups, has been gathering signatures to place Initiative 890 on this November’s ballot. I-890 would prohibit smoking in all public indoor places and workplaces, and organizers needed about 270,000 signatures by a July 2 deadline.

“We are just a little bit behind of where we wanted to be in the campaign,” organizer Dave Vance said two weeks before the deadline. “We’ve asked our volunteers to double up their efforts.” Should the signature drive succeed and push the measure to the ballot, Vance said they would launch a campaign to educate the public on its benefits. Should it not, he said, they will move ahead with other alternatives. “It’s a long-term, multi-year process,” he said.

The entertainment industry has fired back with an initiative of its own that would only restrict places frequented by minors. But health-care promoters hope the public will make the choice for a healthy environment. “Statistics show that 70 percent of voters in Washington State would support a ban in all public spaces,” ALA’s Noreen said. “…A lot of it is about education.”.