Laws of the Land?
Kaine weights decision on state-wide smoking ban in public places
By Victoria Shelor, contributing writer
Posted on September 7, 2006

If Gov. Timothy M. Kaine has it his way, JMU students might feel the effects of a state-wide smoking ban.

“Probably not,” senior Alexis Fleming said. “It’s hard to imagine that ever happening.”
But it could be happening. Kaine has been actively considering banning smoking in public buildings and vehicles in Virginia.

The bill would also make it illegal to smoke in restaurants, bars and state government-owned facilities. Currently, Virginia’s smoking restrictions are left up to the manager of an individual facility to decide. Kaine could not be reached for comment.

L’Italia Restaurant on East Market Street has been smoke-free for 10 years, owner Gervasio Amato said. “We were the first restaurant in town to become non-smoking,” he said. “We’ve been here 21 years and one day I decided I didn’t like being around smoke,” he said. 

Amato added that at first some customers complained about the non-smoking policy, but in the end more people appreciate the restaurant for it.

For many people, smoking and bars go hand-in-hand. Assistant general manager at The Pub, Scott Troutman, who is also a smoker, said that most people come into the bar expecting smoke.

On occasion, he added, secondhand smoke is a problem for some customers or performers.

With a smoking ban for bars in place, Troutman said business would certainly be affected, but ultimately it would be a “good thing.”

“Working around it [secondhand smoke] has affected my voice and throat,” Troutman added. 

Currently, The Pub allows smoking everywhere except on the dance floor.

Fleming is a smoker and said the bill might help lower the number of smokers. 

“Smoking is not allowed [in public buildings] in Maryland, so it definitely makes me less likely to smoke when I’m there,” Fleming said. Since smoking is allowed in bars in Virginia, she is more likely to smoke here, she said.