Alexandria's Weapon Against Smoking: Red Tape

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VIRGINIA LAWMAKERS might have not moved to push a ban on smoking in bars and restaurants in the commonwealth, but that doesn't mean that Alexandria can't try for its own prohibition. The city isn't technically able to ban smoking outright, but it is considering a plan to alter its zoning and permitting rules to prevent new restaurants from allowing smoking, and to make it difficult for existing ones to allow customers to light up.

As The Post's Annie Gowen writes:

Alexandria would seize control of the smoking issue with such mundane tools as use permits. When a bar or restaurant came to the city to request a permit, the city would require it to be smoke-free before granting the permit. Restaurants that have permits must agree to go smoke-free in three months or risk future restrictions or even closure.

» "Alexandria's End Run on Public Smoking" [WaPo]