Jeff Mead has bowled perfect games. He’s picked up seemingly impossible spares and spent countless hours honing his game.

One thing he can’t do, though, is separate bowling and smoking.

An author of five career 300 games and five 800 series, Mead bowled one game on opening night recently and decided to call it a night ... and possibly an outstanding career.

“Bowlers were going outside to smoke ... holding up the game,” he said. “The no-smoking law is ridiculous. We’re outnumbered. What can you do? Nothing.

“Maybe it was time for me to quit. Any second thoughts about quitting? Not right now. But, I’m sure I will (have second thoughts). I may stop back in a bowling alley some day.”

And he’s not alone.

Lost Lanes proprietor Natalie Hanks said her establishment has lost 74 regular bowlers from last season due to the recent state law that forbids smoking in public spaces. Her husband, Harry, estimated they had 250 bowlers in leagues last year.

“I would say 65 percent of the dropoff is related to the no smoking law and the other 35 percent for economy reasons,” said Hanks, who owns the 14-lane bowling alley and Found Lounge restaurant (connected to the bowling alley) with her husband Harry.

“We knew there would be a dropoff, but not this severe.”

Being in this uneasy situation from a business standpoint, Hanks can only think of New York a few years ago.

When the “no smoking” law was enforced, several New York bowling alleys similar to Lost Lanes’ size were forced to close, she said.

“I know of four to six houses in Buffalo that closed due to the no smoking law,” Hanks said. “We’re nervous.”

And angry, too.

“Not only are they (the state) telling us what to do, but they’re telling us how to run our business,” said Natalie Hanks. “Why are we paying taxes then?”

The Bowling Proprietors Association of America has heard similar protests about government interference. While the organization’s Web site says it does not have a position on the smoking ban, it does say that bowling centers dislike the government interference. It said most proprietors feel they are in the best position to judge what their customers and employees want.