Handi-Hut introduces new smoking shelters that are in compliance with the smoking ban

CLIFTON, N.J., July 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- With laws banning indoor smoking in public spaces, the public expects hotel rooms, restaurants and other indoor public places to be smoke free. But with approximately 40%-50% of the public still smoking, how do you accommodate smokers and non-smokers, guests and employees?

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Handi-Hut (Clifton, NJ), a leading manufacturer of bus stop waiting shelters, pioneered the easy-to-assemble smoking shelter that is site compatible and produced in a variety of designs and sizes. Their shelters are endorsed by the National Clean Air Council.

In 1997, then President Clinton signed an executive order banning smoking in all government buildings. This was quickly followed by many states with similar legislation.

Employees' unions and smokers cried foul causing government agencies to begin purchasing outdoor smoking shelters for their buildings. Today thousands of outdoor smoking shelters have been installed at almost every military facility in the United States along with diverse government facilities such as the IRS, FBI, National Art Gallery, Department of Agriculture, Treasury Department and dozens of others.

The commercial civilian world soon followed the mushrooming trend of providing outdoor smoking shelters for use by customers, employees and visitors. Former California Governor Schwarzenegger complied with the ban by smoking cigars with legislators in the courtyard outside the state house. Since Mayor Bloomberg was a non-smoking advocate, UN Headquarters in New York took the diplomatic approach and installed a Handi-Hut outdoor smoking shelter to comply with the law and avoid a total smoking ban.

The lodging and assisted living industries were faced with a unique problem of accommodating a significant number of guests, employees and visitors who smoke. Guest rooms turn over constantly and smokers want to be accommodated. Some managers noticed outdoor smoking shelters eliminated smoking and loitering at the entrance door. They turned to smoking shelters to comply with the law banning indoor smoking without imposing a total smoking ban for smokers, a huge share of their market.

One of the first to install a smoking shelter was Hilton Hotels International Headquarters (Memphis, TN).  Some of their franchisees like Hampton Inns soon followed suit. As the trend evolved, Comfort Inn, Marriott, Regency Inn and others around the country found smoking shelters to be a welcome amenity to accommodate both smokers and non-smokers.  A typical observation came from Bob Cullen, Building Engineer at the Holiday Park Plaza (Portland, OR). "The shelter we installed seven years ago looks as good today as the day it was installed. It is used everyday and we are pleased with the results."

Ironically, municipalities and state governments enjoy the huge taxes cigarette sales incur while at the same time discouraging smoking and banning smoking in indoor public places. In this political environment business, real estate owners, industry and government agencies have been turning to smoking shelters to obey the law without a total smoking ban.

Where smoking shelters are installed they have eased the tension between smokers and non-smokers so that non smokers can now breathe easier.

About Handi-Hut:
For over 30 years, Handi-Hut, Inc. has been designing and manufacturing glass and aluminum modular shelters used for smoking shelters, bus stops, train stations, shopping cart corrals, covered walkways, entrance vestibules, canopies and more. Thousands of these pre-fabricated, easily-installed and weatherproof structures are in use nationwide. Handi-Hut, Inc. is veteran-owned and a GSA Premier Provider, certified by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) as a top-tier vendor of multi-purpose modular shelters. Please visit www.handi-hut.com for more information.

SOURCE Handi-Hut