BALTIMORE - The District, Montgomery, Prince George’s, and now Howard County have all banned smoking in restaurants and bars.

BALTIMORE - The District, Montgomery, Prince George’s, and now Howard County have all banned smoking in restaurants and bars. “We’ve done a good job of making the 95 corridor from D.C. smoke-free all the way up to Baltimore City, but the rest of the state is the ashtray of Maryland,” said Glenn Schneider, vice president of the Health Care for All coalition, a sector of the nonprofit group Maryland Citizens’ Health Initiative Education Fund. Political leaders in Anne Arundel, Carroll and Baltimore counties said there have been no discussions about banning smoking there. But other local officials think Howard County’s action this week might help trigger a more widespread ban. “Based on what’s happening nationwide with this issue, Baltimore is next to do that,” said Baltimore City Council President Sheila Dixon. “I am open to having some real discussion with the [restaurant] industry. This is a health issue, and it does affect people’s lives.” But Dixon said she would prefer a statewide ban. The Maryland Restaurant Association has opposed the ban, saying its members lose business when customers patronize bars in other counties that do not have smoking bans. Kari Appler, executive director of Smoke Free Maryland, disputes that claim but agreed that a statewide ban would give restaurants an “even playing field.” Don Mohler, director of communications for Baltimore County Executive James Smith, also agreed that for a ban to be effective and fair for commerce, it should be enforced statewide.

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