Virginia's new smoking ban in restaurants will go into effect on Dec. 1, 2009 (Tuesday). Restauarants will be allowed to have a smoking area only if they segregate smokers into rooms with proper ventilation.

They now join dozens of States that ban smoking in restaurants. Virginia restaurant industry lobbyist Tom Lisk expects only about 10% of the state's' restaurants to retain smoking areas. Making the restaurants compliant with the new law will be probably cost prohibitive for most businesses.