State College bars may get more business if Pennsylvania passes a bill banning smoking in public places, according to recent survey results.

The survey, conducted by David Swiderski (graduate-business), examined about 1,100 people from across Pennsylvania and concluded that about 50 percent of the participants would frequent bars more often if smoking were banned in public places.

Swiderski said about 85 percent of the survey's participants were non-smokers, which was not surprising because only about 25 percent of Pennsylvania residents smoke, he said.

Swiderski said he became interested in the topic of smoking in public places over this past summer after the Office of the Surgeon General published a report on the negative effects of secondhand smoke.

The survey was part of an assignment for Swiderski's Marketing 572 course with Ugur Yucelt.

After earning approval from Delores Maney, research compliance coordinator, Swiderski said he worked with his adviser to come up with questions suitable for the topic and then posted the survey online.

Swiderski said he is planning on releasing an official report of the raw data by the end of November to coincide with the vote on Pennsylvania House Bill 1489, which would ban smoking in all public places including restaurants, bars and sports facilities.

Zachary Penrod, general manager of Bar Bleu, 114 S. Garner St., said the possibility of a smoking ban wouldn't have too much of an effect on the bar's business.

He added that Bar Bleu already designates Thursday as a smoke-free night and it has generated a good turnout, even with the no-smoking rule.

"People have been positive about it," he said. "It's already become evident that it's worthwhile to do."

Colleen McIntyre-Luke, a manager at Mad Mex, 240 S. Pugh St., wasn't as positive about the ban.

"Initially, I think it will be a problem," McIntyre-Luke said.

She said residential parties would probably become more popular until bar-goers get used to not being able to smoke inside, if a ban were to take place. She also said people are used to smoking inside, which will make the transition more difficult.

"Come wintertime, it's going to make a lot of people mad," she said.

The potential ban on indoor smoking wasn't much of a concern for Courtney Blake (senior-finance) and her friend Kimberly Cendan (senior-journalism), even though both are smokers.

"I wouldn't mind either way," Blake said.

One concern both said they had was having to leave the bar to smoke a cigarette, and then having to wait in line to get their ID checked again.

"There should be designated spaces where we can go," Cendan said.

Penrod said since there isn't much sidewalk space in State College to begin with, he can see where Cendan's concerns about a designated space would be warranted.