Patrons of one local bar can now enjoy an atmosphere on Mondays without the smell of smoke lingering in their clothes.

Joe Shulman, general manager of Gingerbread Man, 130 Hiester St., said the new smoke-free day would help create a more appealing atmosphere for patrons.

"We're going to make an attempt to cut down on smoking in our establishment to see how the community receives it," he said. "Smokers and non-smokers are more cognitive today of health issues."

Shulman said the new policy is not meant to persecute smoking customers, but to "bring non-smokers into our facility."

"We're going to do this on a trial basis," he said. "I think it will help show us where society is positioned in this community on health related issues."

Ryan McGarry, who is also part of the student group Penn State Students for Tobacco Awareness, said this day has been a two-year effort in the making.

He added that the Gingerbread Man is the first State College bar to go smoke-free during regular hours.

Shulman said the bar's restaurant section has been smoke-free since the beginning of last fall semester.

"We're very proud that we're able to do that," he said. "It hasn't negatively impacted business."

McGarry said market research shows that going smoke-free is a profitable decision for bars to make and that it will help them in the long run.

"It's just a matter of time before we see this in more places," he said.

State College Health Department Director Mark Henry said he thinks the smoke free day is a "great idea."

"[It] benefits patrons and employees. None of them will be breathing second hand smoke," he said. "I think if the G-Man can show this is successful, I know there would be other places willing to try it."

McGarry said that for every six hours a person spends in smoky basement-type bars, they breathe in the equivalent of a pack and a half of cigarettes.

"It's a good idea because when I come home from the bars I have to air out my clothes for a week," Leah Dipaolo (senior-labor studies and industrial relations) said. "And in the morning when you wake up your eyes hurt and they're scratchy."

Shulman said smoke-free Mondays will be an opportunity to judge if the bar should be smoke-free permanently.

"I'm probably going to try this out at least until the end of the semester," he said. "It will take a while to build interest in the community."

Linda LaSalle, Penn State Students for Tobacco Awareness adviser, said the group has been working to have bars in State College provide non-smoking options.

"We're very supportive of [smoke free Mondays]," she said. "We applaud the owners of the G-Man to offer a smoke-free bar to students and community members."

LaSalle said support for smoke-free bars has increased, and legislation is currently in place in states including New York and California prohibiting smoking in bars.

"The reason we're working on smoke-free bars is that exposure to tobacco smoke is a health issue," she said. "That, over time, has a significant health impact."