Virginia Clubs and Restaurants Going Smoke Free

On Tuesday a new ban on smoking in restaurants and clubs goes into effect and the only way that smoking will be permitted is outside or in a separate, separately ventilated area. Nights of coming home from dinner or a club and smelling the stink of cigarette smoke on your clothes will not be missed - especially by those of us who have allergies to the smoke or who wear contact lenses. There have been many people whining about the ban, yet New York and other areas have had bans for some time and the world did not end. Personally, I see inflicting your second hand smoke - a know cause of cancer - on others as the height of selfishness. I for one welcome the ban. My favorite local dance club in Norfolk will have no smoking indoors. Here are some highlights from the Virginian Pilot on the ban that kicks in on December 1, 2009:

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Businesses such as White's [The Rainbow Cactus in Virginia Beach] that serve food have these options under Virginia's new smoking ban: prohibit lighting up in their restaurants; designate outdoor areas for smoking; or set up a smoking room that is walled off and ventilated. Private clubs are exempt from the ban.
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Gov. Timothy M. Kaine signed the legislation in March. According to the Virginia Department of Health, about 66 percent of the state's bars and restaurants were smoke-free before the legislation was approved. After approval, the number rose to more than 70 percent.
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Yet, some local businesses don't want to take the risk of going totally smoke-free. . . .Dennis Doughty, co-owner of The Banque in Norfolk, gave up his spacious office to create a smoking room in his country-western nightclub. . . . ."We want our customers to be happy," said Doughty, a nonsmoker. "So, I'll give up my office to make them happy." On Tuesday, contractors installed a ventilation system and plumbing fixtures, Doughty said. After completion, the smoking room will have a flat-screen TV for smokers to view the dance floor, he said, and a glass aquarium along the wall.
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For all the woory that customers may stay home, the number one reason I hear from people who avoid the clubs is the cigarette smoke. Owners may be surprised that the ban helps business rather than hurt it. Either way, it will make for a healthier atmosphere for nonsmokers.