New York ? Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the City Council reached agreement Wednesday on a ban that would prohibit smoking in nearly every bar and restaurant and virtually all workplaces.

City law now prohibits smoking in restaurants with more than 35 seats but not in stand-alone bars or bars in restaurants. The agreement extends the ban to almost all restaurants and bars, as well as offices, pool halls, bingo parlors and bowling alleys. About 13,000 establishments will be covered.

“Secondhand smoke is a reality,” health commission chairman David Mulligan said. “People get cancer from it. Those who work in that environment … they are exposed for 40 hours a week to this product.”

New York City’s bill probably will be passed by the council at its Dec. 18 meeting despite the opposition of smokers and bar owners, who have complained the ban would curtail their rights and cut into tourism and the business of bars.

Bloomberg, a former smoker, said protecting employees from the dangers of secondhand smoke was paramount.

“Because of this legislation, it’s literally true that something like 1,000 people will not die each year who would have otherwise died from secondhand smoking,” Bloomberg said. “Restrictions on smoking in the workplace, which includes bars and restaurants, is an idea whose time has come.”

Most states and many municipalities have some level of restriction on public smoking, but New York City’s ban would be among the most restrictive in the nation.

Bloomberg’s stance outraged many smokers.

“Never has a man — besides Napoleon — been so ruthless and been such a control freak. It’s really unbelievable,” said Patrick Smith, 32, as he smoked outside a Brooklyn store.