Virginia Lawmakers Approve a Landmark Smoking Ban

NEARLY 400 YEARS ago, John Rolfe sailed to London as an evangelist for Virginia tobacco, sparking a craving for the leaf in Europe that helped establish the crop as a mainstay of the mid-Atlantic economy. In many ways, the Old Dominion has never looked back. Even today, with the hazards of cigarette smoke long established, Philip Morris continues to churn out Marlboros just a few miles south of the state Capitol.

This backdrop is key to evaluating the landmark tobacco ban approved by Virginia lawmakers. Anti-smoking groups assailed the ban as ineffectual, and they have a point. Twenty-three states and the District have approved such bans, and Virginia's would be among the weakest. The fine for restaurants and bars that violate the ban would only be $25, for example. Still, considering Big Tobacco's imposing presence in Richmond, any stand against smoking, let alone a tobacco ban, is impressive.

The proposal, reportedly hashed out in closed-door meetings between Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) and House Speaker William J. Howell (R-Stafford), would prohibit smoking at most of the state's restaurants and bars. There are loopholes: The two leaders' compromise allowed for smoking in private clubs and in closed rooms with separate ventilation systems. House Republicans, aided by Democrats from tobacco-rich districts, tacked on amendments that further softened the bill and that would delay the ban's implementation until 2010.

Mr. Kaine expressed frustration with the amendments, in particular a provision that would permit smoking in establishments that don't admit minors. We share that frustration. These unwelcome alterations remove many protections for bartenders and servers who spend much of their lives inhaling unhealthful levels of secondhand smoke. Workers shouldn't have to choose between their jobs and their health, and we hope the final version of the bill hews closely to the original agreement.

Though we'd prefer a more comprehensive bill, we're encouraged by the surprising compromise between Mr. Howell and Mr. Kaine that made the ban possible. Mr. Howell has taken considerable flak, including from this page, for his unbending stand on many issues. Mr. Kaine has been criticized by House Republicans for not doing enough to reach out. Both moved outside their comfort zones in striking a compromise on the tobacco ban. In doing so, they produced a meaningful piece of legislation that will save lives. With a prickly budget debate looming, there's a lesson there.

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