D.C. Council to consider extending smoking ban in public places

Publication Date: 2013-02-21

• Author:Steve Chenevey
• Publication:http://www.wjla.com

Under a proposal introduced by D.C. Councilman Vincent Orange, the city would further regulate where smokers could light up and could ban smoking near where children congregate.

It's already against the law in D.C. to smoke inside bars and restaurants, and outside of certain buildings. The latest proposal would ban smoking in and around playgrounds and city parks. It would not apply to National Park land, like Rock Creek Park and along the National Mall....

Orange's proposal to ban smoking in parks and playgrounds would also include a 25-foot no-smoking buffer around the parks, a move designed to protect non-smokers but one that may just have smokers moving a little farther away.

"You can always find a place," Bryan Zimba says. "You have to walk maybe an extra 30-40 feet to do it but you know, you can always find a place to smoke."

A few other members of council are on board and will support Orange's proposal, but it's still too early to tell if there will be enough support for the measure to pass.