Smoking to be banned in bars and restaurants

Restaurant and bar patrons in Virginia will have to brave the elements if they choose to smoke after Dec. 1, 2009.

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine signed a bill this month that will ban smoking in all restaurants and bars in Virginia, with a few exceptions, including permanent outdoor patios, separately ventilated smoking rooms and private clubs. The penalty for breaking the law would be no more than $25.

Virginia is one of 34 states to have some kind of ban -- partial or complete -- but it's one of a few states to ban smoking in bars.

Student opinion is mixed on the ban.

Giorgi Zurabishvili, a freshman international student from Georgia who smokes, said the ban was unfair to smokers. He said there were a lot more smokers in Georgia, where smoking indoors is allowed. And while he won't stop going to restaurants and bars in Virginia after the ban, he said the unfairness to smokers outweighed the benefits for non-smokers.

"It's bad to smoke, but it's up to the individual," he said.

Senior Brent Dean and freshman Alex Johnson, both of whom smoke, agreed that a ban on smoking should be left up to the owners of an establishment. Dean, a native of New York state, where there's a complete ban, said he drove to places farther away because they allowed smoking.

Johnson is from Hawaii, which does not have a smoking ban. He will not stop going to restaurants or bars because of the ban, but said he would choose places that have smoking areas, if possible.

Seniors Matt King and Maxine Naawu, who do not smoke, said they appreciated the ban because it would prevent them from being exposed to second-hand smoke as often.

Local restaurant and bar owners and managers said they believed the ban would be good for business, not detrimental.

Nick Hanson, an owner of Bogart's on Cary Street, said he appreciated the ban. He said it would positively affect the popular jazz restaurant and bar because non-smokers would be more likely to come in, and smokers would still be permitted to smoke on the restaurant's open patio.

"Every morning I come in, and it smells like smoke," said Hanson, who added that he was glad this wouldn't be the case after December.

Mei-i Liu, manager at Three Monkeys on Main Street, said she didn't expect any problems. The restaurant also has an open patio where people will be allowed to smoke after 10 p.m., she said. Some patrons who smoke may be upset, but she said she hoped it wouldn't affect business.

The bill that became the smoking ban law went through several changes in the Virginia General Assembly. Kaine, who helped write the bill, steadfastly supported it.

Arguments in favor of a ban included the health of restaurant workers.

"In today's economy we really can't force ... restaurant workers to choose between their jobs or being exposed to cancer-causing second-hand smoke," Del. David Englin, D-Alexandria, said at a press conference.

Contact staff writer Stephanie Rice at stephanie.rice@richmond.edu