DC Council bans smoking around city parks, bus stops

Publication Date: 2013-10-01

• Author:Colleen Murphy
• Publication:GW Hatchet

The D.C. Council passed sweeping legislation Tuesday that bans smoking within 25 feet of city-owned spaces, mirroring GW’s policy that went into effect this fall.

The legislation, which received support from D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray, will affect the District’s 3,426 bus stops and 300 city parks and playgrounds, but not federally owned land such as the National Mall or Dupont Circle...

Council chairman Phil Mendelson initially called the bill “broadly construed,” and added an amendment Tuesday to exempt cigar bars, hookah bars and establishments with already designed smoking patios.

D.C. joins more than 300 other cities that have passed smoking bans in parks, though few restrict smoking at bus stops.