By Cindy Schroeder
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Twenty Northern Kentucky restaurants - twice as many as last year - will go smoke-free Thursdayas part of the 26th annual Great American Smokeout campaign.

WHERE TO GO

`Smoke-free Day of Dining' eateries: • Chi-Chi's, 7901 Mall Road, Florence • Dixie Chili, 2421 Madison Ave., Covington; and 3716 Dixie Highway, Erlanger • Fazoli's, 5990 Fuller Road, Florence • LaRosa's, 417 Madison Ave., Covington; 2446 Anderson Road, Crescent Springs; 8031 Alexandria Pike, Alexandria; 6459 Taylor Mill Road, Independence; and 3923 Winston Ave., Covington • Double Dragon, 514 Commonwealth Pike, Erlanger • Garzelli's, 3025 Dixie Highway, Edgewood; and 8449 U.S. 42, Florence • Subway, 2055 Patriot Way, Independence • Pasquales Pizza, 343 Fairfield Ave., Bellevue • Sandwich Block, 564 Buttermilk Pike, Crescent Springs • Subway, 2522 Hazelwood Drive, Fort Mitchell; 405 Scott Blvd., Covington; 7129 Turfway, Florence; and 2116 Monmouth St., Newport • The Point Restaurant, 45 W. Pike St., Covington   At each location, diners can take part in a drawing for a $20 restaurant gift certificate.   For a list of Northern Kentucky restaurants that are smoke-free every day, go to www.nkyhealth.org.

The restaurants that volunteered for the one-day experiment hope to support customers who are trying to quit smoking, according to representatives of the sponsors, the Northern Kentucky health department and the Tobacco Prevention Coalition of Northern Kentucky.

Currently, 59 Northern Kentucky restaurants are smoke-free, an increase from 44 a year ago.

Across the river, Cincinnati has 283 smoke-free restaurants.

In Kentucky, a tobacco state that boasts the nation's highest smoking rate for adults - 30 percent - the difficulty of convincing restaurants to give up their smoking sections is not lost on sponsors of Thursday's event.

"It's more of a challenge here,'' said Jennifer Vaughan, a health educator with the Northern Kentucky Independent District Health Department.

Last November, the owners of It's Greek To Me decided to go smoke-free permanently after taking part in the first Smoke-free Day of Dining, as it's been dubbed.

"We left out some comment cards ... and the reaction was all positive,'' said George Betas, owner of the family-run restaurant.

Mr. Betas said the restaurant's small size also was a reasonfor the change.

"You always have that lingering smoke,'' he said. "When people smoke, it's an overall uncomfortable environment ... It just seems healthier to have a restaurant that's smoke-free.

"Things are different than they were 20 years ago.''

Mark Flohn, manager of LaRosa's restaurant in Newport, agreed.

Next May, he will mark his second year of smoke-free dining.

Mr. Flohn said he decided to make the move after frequently hearing people say they would have liked to have had a large party at his restaurant, but were dissuaded when they realized they would have to sit in a smoking area with their children.

"It's much more enjoyable,'' Mr. Flohn said of the nonsmoking atmosphere. "You don't have the ashes. You're not constantly cleaning the ceiling tiles and the lighting fixtures because they have the smoke film on them.''

Other benefits include less wear and tear on the restaurant's fabrics and upholstery, cleaner air and more efficient seating with a quicker turnaround time, he said.

The Smoke-free Day of Dining is part of the Great American Smokeout, the American Cancer Society's campaign to publicize dangers associated with tobacco use and to encourage smokers to quit for a lifetime by starting with one day.

Besides having the highest rate of adult smokers, Kentucky also has the nation's highest lung cancer death rate per resident, according to the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, based in Atlanta.

"Not only does smoking cause lung cancer, but also it is the most common cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the fourth-leading cause of death in our country,'' said Gary Crum, public health director of the Northern Kentucky health department.

"The most common forms of this disease are chronic bronchitis, emphysema and asthma.''

In Southwestern Ohio, the Tobacco Task Force is focusing this year on promoting restaurants that are smoke-free year-round, as opposed to going smoke-free for a day.

"We actually did try smoke-free for a day last year,'' said Lisa Maitre, communications director for the Southwest Region of the American Cancer Society. "But our thought was this year one thing we hadn't done was focus on the people who were already supporting the healthy lifestyle on an everyday basis. We want to reinforce long-term choices to be smoke-free.''

In Northern Kentucky, the health department offers the Cooper/Clayton smoking cessation program in collaboration with the Kentucky Cancer Program, Northern Kentucky University, GlaxoSmithKline and St. Elizabeth Medical Center.

To enroll in the next 12-week class starting in January, call (859) 578-7660 and ask for Stephanie Vogel, senior health educator at the Northern Kentucky health department.

In Southwestern Ohio, residents can contact the American Cancer Society to enroll in its Fresh Start smoking cessation program, as well as similar programs sponsored by other groups, Ms. Maitre said. For information, call (513) 891-1600.

E-mail cschroeder@enquirer.com.