The State College branch of Mad Mex is taking a stand for its workers and joining the national trend of voluntarily going smoke-free, said restaurant general manger Colleen McIntyre-Luke.

Mad Mex, 240 S. Pugh St., will be smoke-free as of March 1, McIntyre-Luke said.

The company decided to join some of its other locations in Ohio, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh in an effort to protect the health and safety of employees, she said.

Other State College bars and restaurants have also made the change. The Allen Street Grill, 100 W. College Ave., is smoke-free; Chumley's, 108 W. College Ave., is smoke-free on Tuesdays from 5 p.m. until 2 a.m.; and the Gingerbread Man, 130 Hiester St., has smoke-free Mondays.

In February 2006, state legislators first introduced the Clean Indoor Air Act, which would ban smoking in all public places in Pennsylvania, including bars and taverns. Students who are part of the health advocacy group Project SmokeLess traveled to Harrisburg earlier in the semester to lobby for the bill.

McIntyre-Luke said the decision is nothing out of the ordinary.

"I think there's always a torn decision between the customers -- half want it and half don't," she said.

Elizabeth Goreham, State College Borough Council president, said she is very excited about the change.

"My heart goes pitter patter, that's wonderful ... My lungs are ecstatic," she said.

McIntyre-Luke said she hopes the change is a positive one that will bring more business.

"I think short term we might see a little drop in business -- hopefully that's not true -- but long term, I think everyone will realize this is for the best," she said.

Goreham said because the restaurant is smoke-free, she will make an effort to go to Mad Mex more often. She said there are enough restaurants in downtown State College that are smoke-free that such conditions are what customers are coming to expect.

"Smoke will drive people away. They have good food, and I like the environment," Goreham said, but added that smoke usually bothers her.

She said that in the past, smoke has prevented her from eating at certain restaurants.

As far as student customers are concerned, McIntyre-Luke said they haven't heard any feedback yet.

"We think that it will be a little bit of a shock to our customers, but I don't know," she said.

Lisa Detwiler (senior-management) said she likes to smoke when she has a couple of drinks, but doesn't mind going outside to do so. She added that she supports a smoking ban in a restaurant/bar combination like Mad Mex.

"A lot of people go there to eat," she said. "I definitely don't like to be around smoke while eating."

Ryan Nelson (senior-environmental resource management), who also smokes, was ambivalent about the smoking ban as well.

"It doesn't really bother me," he said, adding that smoke probably didn't linger in the air in Mad Mex before because the restaurant is so big.

A survey conducted by Project SmokeLess found that the majority of Penn State students enjoy clean indoor air, said Sarah Wherry, the group's spokeswoman.

"I think [students] will be able to adjust easily," Goreham said.

Wherry said she thinks it is great if any bar or restaurant is willing to take the step to create a healthier environment for both students and employees.