With the District’s smoking ban now in force throughout the city’s bars and restaurants, pretty much the only option for smokers set on enjoying a quick cigarette without heading outside was getting elected to Congress. Today, that changed.

The Hill reports that Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi officially banned smoking in the Speaker’s Lobby, an ornate room beside the House chamber that for decades has been the refuge of smokers in Congress. The Post described the lobby thusly:

The lobby, where lawmakers relax between votes and debates, is blue with smoke most days. You can smell it from the approaching hallways. Cigarette smokers claim the leather wing chairs during the day, filling the ashtrays with butts. At night, the cigar smokers take over. A smoky film clings to an oversize mirror.

According to a number of articles, Pelosi was encouraged to take the step by Rep. Henry Waxman, a California Democrat known for prying into the misdeeds of his Republican colleagues. In making the decision, Pelosi stated:

The days of smoke-filled rooms in the United States Capitol are over. Medical science has unquestionably established the dangerous effects of secondhand smoke, including an increased risk of cancer and respiratory diseases. I am a firm believer that Congress should lead by example.

First to be affected may be House Minority Leader John Boehner, who often rushed to the lobby between votes to smoke. Representatives will still be allowed to smoke in their offices, though.

Now that Congress has caught up with the rest of the country on smoking in public buildings, will they ever start charging the District’s $1 tax per pack in Senate stores? It might be a little much to ask, but here’s to hoping.