About one quarter of adults in Missouri smoke.
But close to half of the adults in Taney County, Missouri, smoke.
At a 40% smoker rate, it is higher than any of Missouri’s other 113 counties.
But the owner of Fat Daddy's Family Barbeque in Forsyth isn't just blowing smoke when he says there's no smoking in his restaurant.
It’s been that way ever since the place opened two years ago.
The Taney County Health Department says that's one way to break the cycle even though the odds are stacked against them.
Forsyth residents worried about their hearts don’t usually come to Fat Daddy's, arguably the best barbeque in Taney County.
But if it's their lungs they value, well, this restaurant is the healthy choice.
“I knew from day one I wouldn't allow smoking."
Owner John Winkert’s past explains his policy; the former paramedic and son of two smokers says he's been face to face with the side effects from cigarettes.
“We have emphysema, COPD, all those lung diseases directly related to that,” Winkert explains.
So that's one reason to kick the habit out of his establishment.
Winkert says he also keeps his restaurant smoke-free so that his patrons have a more enjoyable dining experience.
The surfaces stay cleaner and the only thing they smell is the food.
Outside Fat Daddy’s though, Taney County is having a tough time kicking butts.
“There are some factors that statistically play a role in that- socioeconomics sometimes plays a role,” explains Jean Mueller with the Taney County Health Department.
State health department studies show the lower the median income of a community, the higher the incidence of smoking.
Taney County’s median household income is nearly $9,000 lower than the statewide number.
The county's poverty level is higher than the state's as well.
Places like Fat Daddy's are a big help.
And smoking diners need not despair; there’s a loophole.
Winkert explains, “We’ve got a smoked club sandwich."
The incidence of lung cancer in Taney County is higher than the rate for the state of Missouri too.
90% of lung cancer deaths are related to smoking.
To educate residents about the problem, the county is recruiting more members for a Breathe Easy Coalition.
Call the Taney County Health Department to find out more about joining the coalition: (417)334-4544