BETHESDA, MD -- The Montgomery County Maryland Council began considering a bill Tuesday that would expand local anti-smoking ordinances to include outdoor dining areas.
If it passes, the county will become the first in Maryland to make smoking at outdoor dining areas, such as sidewalk cafe's, illegal countywide.
Smaller municipalities, including the City of Rockville and the town of LaPlata in Charles County, Md., have already taken the lead on the issue by passing their own outdoor dining area bans.
"Research has documented for decades there is no safe exposure to second-hand smoke," said anti-smoking advocate and county resident Adam Zimmerman. "Even in open areas, smoke can linger. It's not healthy for patrons of restaurants and its not healthy for the folks that work there either. So this is a bill that would benefit everybody."
