Thirty-eight down, 12 to go.

On May 1, Michigan became the 38th state to ban smoking in virtually all public places — including bowling centers.

The only businesses exempt from the statewide ban are cigar bars, tobacco specialty retail shops and Detroit casinos (gaming floor areas).

Whether the new law will impact league bowler counts in Detroit — home to more certified bowlers than any other city — won’t be known until next September. The ban took effect after the traditional bowling season had concluded.

In other states where smoking has been banned, proprietors have reported modest declines in league play, but the reports always have been anecdotal; it’s not known whether bowlers who dropped out did so specifically because of the ban, or if other factors were involved.

There’s no doubt Greater Detroit proprietors hope most people agree with Theresa Kennedy of Clinton Township. Kennedy told the Detroit News that she’s happy about the ban, adding: “I’m going back to bowling now.”