Almost a year after the Wayne County Airport Authority (WCAA) first introduced the idea of opening a cigar lounge inside Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW), the proposal continues to stir spirited debate. This time, it’s with renewed opposition from the Wayne County Commission and members of the Michigan House of Representatives.
At the heart of the issue is a fundamental question: how should one of the nation’s busiest airports balance economic opportunity and customer experience with public health and worker safety?
Last week, the Wayne County Commission passed a resolution formally opposing the cigar lounge proposal, citing concerns about the potential rollback of Michigan’s long-standing smoke-free air protections and the health risks associated with secondhand smoke. The commission’s move followed a public hearing where dozens of residents, advocates, and health experts testified against the plan.
The vote aligns with a separate resolution introduced in the Michigan House of Representatives — House Resolution No. 200 — sponsored by Reps. Young, Rheingans, MacDonell, Morgan, and Weiss. That resolution also urges the WCAA to halt its plans, arguing that the cigar bar would undermine 15 years of progress under Michigan’s smoke-free air law, which has prohibited indoor smoking in DTW since 2010.
“Wayne County Commissioners made it clear that public health and worker safety must come first, and we urge the Michigan House to signal their disapproval as well by passing its resolution,” said Cynthia Hallett, president and CEO of Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights (ANR). “No community group, employee organization, or public health expert has asked for a cigar lounge. Airport employees should not have to choose between their health and their paycheck, and travelers should not be forced to walk past clouds of toxic smoke on their way to their gates. The Wayne County Airport Authority should align itself with public sentiment and public health guidelines and maintain a 100% smokefree DTW.”
According to data cited in the House resolution, 77 percent of Michigan voters oppose adding a cigar lounge at DTW. The poll, conducted by EPIC-MRA in June 2025, suggests broad public resistance — a factor that lawmakers say reflects both evolving attitudes toward smoking and a desire to keep public spaces fully smoke-free.
The resolution also underscores the disproportionate health risks associated with cigars. Cigar smoke contains many of the same carcinogens as cigarettes, and one large cigar can hold as much tobacco as an entire pack of cigarettes. State data show that over 1,700 nonsmokers die each year in Michigan as a result of exposure to secondhand smoke. The resolution also highlights the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers’ position that no ventilation system can eliminate the health risks posed by tobacco smoke indoors.
Public health organizations, including ANR, the Center for Black Health and Equity, and the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council, have spoken out forcefully against the proposal, warning that it could open the door for the tobacco industry to further target Black consumers and workers. In a joint letter to the WCAA, the groups argued that permitting a cigar lounge at the airport “gives the tobacco industry another opportunity to exploit the Black community and harm public health.”
Nearly 100 written comments have been submitted to the WCAA, the majority urging the airport to maintain its smoke-free policy. Many of those comments have come from airport employees, travelers, and community health leaders who say that allowing indoor smoking in any capacity would set back Michigan’s progress in protecting workers from secondhand smoke exposure.
However, the WCAA has defended its process, stating that the idea emerged from “interest from the community and local businesses,” particularly given DTW’s role as an international travel hub. In a written statement, the authority said:
“We developed the Cigar Lounge and Restaurant Concessions Opportunity in response to interest from the community and local businesses, especially as it relates to the international nature of the airport. The Wayne County Airport Authority prioritizes the health and safety of all employees, customers, and visitors at Detroit Metropolitan Airport. Bidders will be required to provide a state-of-the-art air handling and ventilation system and facility design to reduce smoke exposure to the fullest extent possible. We value all community input as we prepare to begin the solicitation process for this Concessions Opportunity.”
Proponents of the cigar lounge, including some members of the business community, argue that the space could attract international travelers who come from regions where cigar lounges are considered part of luxury travel culture. They point out that several global airports — including those in Dubai, Frankfurt, and Zurich — offer upscale cigar bars or smoking lounges equipped with advanced ventilation systems.
Supporters also argue that the development could generate new revenue for the airport, create construction and hospitality jobs, and enhance the travel experience for passengers with long layovers. Some suggest that if proper air-handling systems are installed, the lounge could operate safely without affecting nonsmokers.
Critics remain skeptical. They note that 32 of the nation’s 35 largest airports already prohibit indoor smoking entirely and warn that reopening the door to smoking indoors could send the wrong message at a time when Michigan and other states are working to reduce tobacco-related deaths and disparities.
“Detroit Metro has an opportunity to lead — not step back,” Hallett said. “Airports should be spaces that promote health and safety for everyone who passes through them.”
DTW employs more than 18,000 workers and serves tens of millions of travelers each year. For many in the region, that makes the airport a highly visible symbol of the community’s values. Advocates of a smoke-free DTW say maintaining that standard demonstrates a commitment to equity, worker protection, and public health.
Still, others believe there is room for compromise — for example, locating a cigar lounge in a separate, enclosed space accessible only to consenting adults. While public health experts remain opposed, some local business groups have asked the WCAA to consider such middle-ground solutions before making a final decision.
For now, the issue remains unresolved. The airport authority is expected to review public input as it moves forward with its solicitation process. No final decision has been made.
What is clear, however, is that the debate has grown beyond a question of convenience for cigar aficionados. It has become a larger conversation about who and what Detroit Metropolitan Airport represents — a crossroads between commerce and culture, health and hospitality, and the competing visions of what a modern airport experience should be.
Whether or not the proposed cigar lounge ever takes flight, the legacy of the decision will likely shape how the region thinks about the balance between business innovation and the immediate feedback from some of its most interested parties.
