Washington, D.C. — Smokers are being forced out of bars and nightclubs in the District of Columbia beginning today, and some businesses are worried about losing dollars to Virginia, which has strong ties to tobacco.
"A lot of people are just going to drive closer to home (in Virginia)," said Jody Taylor, manager of the Black Rooster Pub in downtown Washington. "For a lot of people, it's hard to have that cold beer in one hand without a cigarette in the other."
The smoking ban, which passed a year ago by the D.C. Council, took effect in April for restaurants and offices and extends to bars and nightclubs after New Year's Day.
The nation's capital follows 21 states and more than 2,300 municipalities, including Lawrence, Kan., that have mandated smoke-free workplaces, according to Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights.
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