Smoking Foes In D.C. Gird For Second Try

Publication Date: 2005-03-18

• Author:Eric M. Weiss
• Publication:The Washington Post

Several D.C. Council members vowed again yesterday to pass a smoking ban in the city, hoping that the experiences of New York City and Montgomery County will make this latest effort a success.

A similar effort failed two years ago under heavy lobbying by the Washington restaurant association, which argued that a ban would hurt business. Last year, a Superior Court judge blocked an effort to place an initiative on the ballot that would have achieved the same goal. . . .

Supporters of the ban said this latest effort will be easier. They say that the experiences of New York and Montgomery County show that a ban would not devastate businesses and that polls show increased support for the ban in Washington. They also noted that three of the legislation's opponents were defeated at the polls last year...