Cassandra and Joshua White, the new owners of Rocky Mountain Liquor and Lounge in Cody, announced some significant changes to the local business.
“What it does is it allows us to create a space that all of Cody can enjoy,” Joshua told Cowboy State Daily. “We closed on the business almost two months ago, and we're like excited kids, proud to build upon the history of the business while bringing our own fresh vision to the table.”
The most significant change has already been implemented. As of Sept. 28, the Rocky Mountain Liquor and Lounge is “going non-smoking,” with smoking prohibited in the lounge and interior of the business.
It might seem surprising to hear that a business is going non-smoking in 2025, but Wyoming is one of only 12 states in the U.S. without a statewide smoking ban. If smoking’s prohibited in your favorite bar or restaurant, it isn’t because the State of Wyoming won’t let you smoke them if you’ve got them.
“It allows us to create a space that all of Cody can enjoy,” Joshua said.
Where There’s Smoke
In a 2014 document, the American Nonsmokers' Rights Foundation claimed that 82.1% of the U.S. population “lives under a ban on smoking in workplaces, and/or restaurants, and/or bars, by either a state, commonwealth, or local law.”
Wyoming’s population has never lived under such a ban. As of 2025, Wyoming has not implemented a statewide ban on smoking in workplaces, bars, or restaurants.
“There has been legislation to ban smoking in bars and restaurants in the past, but they haven't tried recently,” said Mike Moser, executive director of the Wyoming State Liquor Association. “We tend to believe in smaller government and less interference in Wyoming.”
Moser isn’t directly involved in the discussion over smoking in public places, but his work with bars and restaurants has often intersected with the issue. In his opinion, society has done more to end smoking than a statewide ban could accomplish.
“It's a matter of what you want in a hospitality establishment,” he said. “Most of our customers prefer smoke-free environments, so the businesses have gone non-smoking.”
Moser thought the idea of a statewide smoking ban would be “largely redundant” in 2025, given how rare it is to find a bar or restaurant that permits smoking. In his view, that decision is best left to individual establishments and the atmosphere they want to cultivate.
“We fully support businesses being able to choose whatever their customers prefer, whether it's types of beverages or the environment,” he said. “If you don't like country music, don't go to the bars with country music. Some people don't like cigarette smoke, so they don't go to those bars that allow it.”
Depends On Where
The lack of a statewide smoking ban doesn’t mean there aren’t smoking bans in effect in the Cowboy State. If you can’t light up in your local bar, that’s the result of a local initiative.
“Most larger cities and municipalities have their own smoking ban, but that's a municipal smoking ban, not a statewide requirement or mandate,” Moser said.
Burlington, Casper, Cheyenne, Evanston, Laramie, Mountain View, and Rock Springs enacted local smoking bans between 2006 and 2015, but the impact of these bans varies from town to town.
The smoking bans in Cheyenne and Laramie cover all bars, restaurants, and private clubs, but not all “enclosed workspaces.” Rock Springs’ ban applies to all restaurants, but not to bars, clubs, or workplaces.
The only places in Wyoming where smoking is completely prohibited, per state statute, are in underground mines and anywhere where it could cause an explosion. Otherwise, the decision on whether a bar, restaurant, or business in Cody, Jackson, Lander, or Wamsutter offers a smoke-free environment is entirely at the discretion of the business owners.
That, in Moser’s opinion, is “an elegant solution.” He supports the people’s power to make whatever rules they want if they decide their town should go smoke-free, but thinks it’s best to let businesses make that decision.
“The people in the community have a right to choose whether they want to allow smoking,” he said. “If the city can do it on its own, let the city decide, but I think the best decision lies with the business.”
Dying A Natural Death
Cigarette smoke used to be a fixture inside most American homes and businesses, but consumer habits have changed. Another reason Moser believes Wyoming hasn’t enacted a statewide smoking ban is that smoking has been dying a natural death for decades.
“Even 25 years ago, every bar had cigarette smoke in it,” he said. “Cigarette smoking rates have been dropping, and cigarette smokers are becoming fewer and rarer. You can do whatever you want to yourself, but when it starts intruding on other people, that's when some people have an issue.”
In addition to the decline of cigarette smokers, public opinion and preference have erred toward smoke-free environments ever since the dangers of second-hand smoke were better understood. Most customers prefer not to smell cigarettes while eating out, which is why it’s rare to find a smoking-friendly restaurant in communities that have never enacted a smoking ban.
Bars are a different environment that would appear to be more smoking-friendly, but it’s rare to find a bar in Wyoming that allows smoking carte blanche. Moser sees that as a simple issue of supply and demand.
“There hasn’t been a renewed push for a statewide ban because the process of moving to non-smoking is happening naturally,” he said. “Why do you need a statewide mandate to do what’s happening anyway?”
The New Frontier?
Cigarette smoking might be on the decline, but there could be a new contender of concern for many people and businesses due to the increasing popularity of vaping.
A 2016 report from the World Health Organization recommended that e-cigarettes and other vaping devices be banned in all indoor areas where smoking is prohibited, due to the potential exposure to dangerous chemicals and elements.
California, Colorado, and other states have enacted statewide vaping bans, similar in scope to their statewide smoking ban, while many towns and cities throughout the U.S. have enacted municipal bans. Only three states — Nebraska, Nevada, and Tennessee — have no vaping bans, not even at the municipal level.
In Wyoming, the only community that has banned vaping in bars and restaurants, while permitting it in private clubs and other workplaces, is Laramie. Moser believes that consumer preferences about smoking will manifest the same for vaping, making a statewide ban similarly redundant.
“Would you go to a restaurant where the next table has all four people vaping? Probably not. If a business decides that vaping is a factor, they'll take action on it, but we believe the best decision lies with the community and, more especially, the business.”
A Wyoming Solution
Since the Whites announced the new non-smoking future for Rocky Mountain Liquor and Lounge, the response has been “overwhelmingly positive.”
“The community and our customers support the change because they see what our vision is,” Joshua said. “We want to continue to build upon the legacy of this business and make it something truly special.”
Anyone who wants a smoke while enjoying a cocktail or karaoke can step outside to the established smoking area. The Whites have tried to make it as comfortable as possible for customers who want to smoke.
“It’s not just about business but creating a space that reflects our community,” Cassandra said. “We were happy to see both sides, and thankfully, our customers saw that as well.”
Moser admitted that he enjoys “the charm of a smoke-filled room.” Still, he believes empowering business owners is the preferable alternative to a statewide smoking ban, should the issue ever arise again. That, in his view, is “a very Wyoming solution.”
“We don't like statewide mandates in Wyoming,” he said. “Our communities, businesses, and, more importantly, customers can decide on their own.”
Andrew Rossi can be reached at arossi@cowboystatedaily.com.
