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Washington, D.C. Considers Expanding Smoking Laws
The D.C. Council is considering a proposal that would allow business owners to ban smoking within 25 feet of the front door of their establishment, the Washington Post reports. The council three years ago approved a ban on smoking in bars and restaurants. The new legislation would also make it a criminal offense for anyone younger than age 18 to possess tobacco. Meanwhile, council member Yvette Alexander (D-Ward 7) has proposed a ban on the sale of single, cheap cigars, which she contends "are increasingly being used to roll marijuana." However, the legislation would not extend to the city's five tobacco shops that sell high-end cigars. The American Lung Association and several other organizations, including Altria, the parent company of Richmond, Va.-based Philip Morris, have voiced their support for the legislation, which would mark Washington, D.C.'s first effort to place restrictions on smoking in outdoor public spaces (Craig, Washington Post, 9/30/09 [registration required]).