Virginia Smoking Ban

If you haven't heard yet, Virginia's smoking ban is set to take effect on December 1st. That gives all the smokers in the Commonwealth less than a week to light up as much as they want in the bars and restaurants that currently allow it. After the restriction kicks in, indoor smoking will be limited to separate room that have their own ventilation and outdoor patios.

Whether you feel outrage or ecstasy toward this legislation, you've got to be surprised Virginia -- which shares a name with most of the tobacco in cigarettes, and is the home to Phillip Morris's national headquarters -- managed to get this bill through, and with widespread Republican support as well. Though, with Bob McDonnell handily winning the gubernatorial election earlier this month, we'll have to see what part his strong historical ties to tobacco companies and lobbies will play in the future of a smoke-free Virginia.

Though I'm definitely all for having cleaner air and being able to leave Virginia bars and restaurants without smelling like my hair and jacket just split a carton of Marlboro 100s, I'm a little bit worried about what will happen this weekend. I think I suffer from the somewhat irrational fear that over the next few days, every smoking establishment in Virginia will be filled with people eager to suck down as many cigarettes as possible in a final smoky swan song before the ban goes into effect. This probably won't happen, but I'm not going to take my chances, D.C. here I come.